Jump to content


Nuclear power plant surrounded by wildlife preserve with endangered species?


  • This topic is locked This topic is locked
13 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_EricaWieser_*

Guest_EricaWieser_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 12:49 AM

I just read about this and did a double take. Is it true that in Florida there is a nuclear power plant surrounded by a wildlife preserve with 17 endangered species in it? Link: http://www.fpl.com/e...key_point.shtml

Is that ethical? What happens to the endangered animals if the plant melts down?

#2 Guest_mikez_*

Guest_mikez_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 02:39 AM

I'll pass on the ethical aspect but I will say the grounds there have one of the biggest and best studied american crocodile population there are. I've seen some incredible photos taken from scientists and grad students that work there.

#3 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 04 March 2012 - 07:40 AM

Maybe it should be in the middle of a city? ...no that is getting into ethics also. Anyway, the reality is that wildlife thrives where the human impact is least. So I am not sure which came first the endangered chicken or the radioactive egg. Look at the Savannah River site there is tons of wildlife there... As there is on the unused edges an area around military bases. It's all about habitat. If you build it they will come.. Only we don't have to build habitat, we just have to not screw it up. Probably less worry for the wildlife from a melt down than if someone had decided to put a pig farm there... Or chicken processing... Or farming with high levels of fertilizers... Or a W$&)4rt... Oops that's going to get me in trouble... Stay on topic...

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#4 Guest_farmertodd_*

Guest_farmertodd_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 09:05 AM

Would the habitat be there if the power plant wasn't? More graphically, bombing ranges have been some of the best refuge habitats for a handful of endangered species. Should we stop that activity?

Maybe at some point you'll figure out life isn't black and white or amounts to a simple recipie that you can look up on the internet.

Todd

#5 Guest_andyavram_*

Guest_andyavram_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 10:28 AM

Not to mention you can't throw a rock in Florida without hitting an endangered species.

#6 Guest_andyavram_*

Guest_andyavram_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 10:46 AM

In addition, the Endagered Species Act wasn't passed until 1973 and the power plant was built in 1972. If there truly was a reason to worry that the plant melting down is going to kill off a few individuals of endangered organisms, then the city of Miami, Florida should worry even more.

#7 Guest_MichiJim_*

Guest_MichiJim_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 11:16 AM

Ethics are a personal question. I could raise a few ethical questions about the endagered species act and its implementation. (I do support the act, though)

Michael and Todd, I like the way you think.

#8 Guest_fundulus_*

Guest_fundulus_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 11:57 AM

As mentioned, both nuclear power plants and (many) military bases require lots of space that they don't directly use. At the very least it's a good PR thing for these installations to support wildlife, whatever that might mean exactly. I'm not a big fan of nuclear power but unless something big happens they're not an immediate threat to the local ecology, not counting putting in roads, releasing warm water, etc.

#9 Guest_mikez_*

Guest_mikez_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 01:36 PM

There's actually a pretty cool story behind the whole crocodile thing. It's interesting beyond just if you like herps. It helps that there one or two fairly colorful, articulate young folks involved who have posted some major cool stuff on the herp forums. I can't remember well enough to do it justice.
Google it.

#10 Guest_ashtonmj_*

Guest_ashtonmj_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 02:25 PM

Really topic should have disappeared (and still should) as it is not about the conservation of native freshwater fishes...it would be far more pertinent if it was about the various programs the DOD has going on at bases throughout the country that help T & E species, but it's not, it's just a link with an 'OH MY GOD CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'. This is not the place.

#11 Guest_EricaWieser_*

Guest_EricaWieser_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 03:03 PM

I'm glad that you all commented on this. I see now that perhaps the power plant is the best neighbor those endangered species could have hoped for. Thank you for contributing your opinions; my initial surprise has now changed to understanding. This power plant is doing a good thing :)

This topic could be deleted if ya'all want. I learned what I needed to. Thanks :)

Edited by EricaWieser, 04 March 2012 - 03:03 PM.


#12 Guest_VicC_*

Guest_VicC_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 March 2012 - 07:40 PM

owned by the U.S. Department of Energy

Aiken County wildlife area will open to the public four Saturdays in March

Aiken County's Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area and Ecological Reserve will be open to the public on four Saturdays during the month of March (3, 10, 17 and 24). Scouting, some recreational activities and fishing will be allowed. No weapons will be permitted during March.

Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area and Ecological Reserve is 10,470 acres owned by the U.S. Department of Energy in Aiken County along the Savannah River and south of the town of Jackson, off SC 125. Access is through the check station gate off Brown Road.

To request a detailed map of the Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area and Ecological Reserve, including specific rules and regulations, contact the S.C. Department of Natural Resources office in Aiken County at (803) 725-3663. You may also request the map by e-mail—please include your name and postal mailing address and send it to CaudellM@dnr.sc.gov. Maps are also available at the check station where visitors sign in.

Hunters will be able to scout the area prior to the commencement of spring wild turkey hunts. Anyone unfamiliar with the property, but interested in hunting the area this season, should take advantage of these March dates to scout Crackerneck. Habitat changes resulting from timber harvests, prescribed burning and road creation make it advisable for even seasoned hunters to also scout prior to the hunt season.

Some recreational activities will be allowed during these four Saturdays such as sight-seeing, bird watching, hiking, nature photography, horseback riding and mountain biking. Mountain bikes and horses are restricted to the designated 50-mile road system and to 30 miles of selected firebreaks. Camping is not permitted.

Fishing will be allowed during these four Saturdays, but anglers are cautioned that ponds are extremely low due to lack of rainfall and success is expected to be poor. On 8-acre Skinface Pond, the limit on largemouth bass is set at two per person, per day, 14-inch minimum. Bluegill limits will be the same as state creel limits—30 fish. Due to low water, more bank fishing opportunities exist than normal. Small boats are still recommended to improve success. Fishing will also be allowed in three small lakes within the Savannah River Swamp, but these require a small boat for access. No fishing, boating or other uses are allowed in Upper Three Runs Creek.

Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area and Ecological Reserve entrance gate will open at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. during open dates on March 3, 10, 17 and 24. All individuals using Crackerneck are required to sign in before entering the area and sign out before leaving. Anyone not following this procedure will be considered trespassing.

http://www.dnr.sc.go...b9_cracker.html

#13 Guest_mikez_*

Guest_mikez_*
  • Guests

Posted 05 March 2012 - 10:03 AM

Really topic should have disappeared (and still should) as it is not about the conservation of native freshwater fishes...it would be far more pertinent if it was about the various programs the DOD has going on at bases throughout the country that help T & E species, but it's not, it's just a link with an 'OH MY GOD CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'. This is not the place.


I'm astounded at this reaction. I hope this is just somebody personally missing the point and not NANFA policy.

You could start a Turkey Point Forum here and never run out of pertinent topics.

Not about conservation of freshwater fish?
From the official web site:
"About nine-tenths of the Turkey Point property remains in its natural state of mangroves and fresh water wetlands."
http://www.fpl.com/e...key_point.shtml

Maybe the mere mention of "herps" was the distraction. Don't think crocodile conservation is pertinent to freshwater fish? Ever hear of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan? A bunch of people think fish may be involved. http://www.evergladesplan.org/

The work being done with crocs at Turkey point is directly involved and bears heavily on Everglades conservation. Read more here; http://crocdoc.ifas....gyconservation/

These only scratch the surface. You could surf all day on this topic.
To me the take away lesson from this thread is PR. Currently the Utility field is far ahead of some in Fisheries and Wildlife who still don't get how much easier their jobs would be if they could enlist rather than alienate the public.

#14 Guest_Drew_*

Guest_Drew_*
  • Guests

Posted 05 March 2012 - 11:17 AM

OK, and with that we are closing this topic...




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users