Environment For anyone wanting to see retreat in action, Wagley suggests visiting national seashores like Gulf Islands, where the National Park Service is no longer building sand dunes in parks, and they are moving vulnerable structures and facilities out of the way while letting others go to the sea.
his stance against the bill through editorials. The Pensacola News Journal published an editorial from him in which he states, “The Matt Gaetz plan to give free and clear title to every leaseholder on the beach is a solution in desperate search for a problem to solve— there is no problem.”
Wagley suggests that in order to fight this bill and continue the protection of the land, citizens will need to pressure County Commissioners in both counties to maintain or strengthen protections for public access, recreation, and preservation that are in their respective land development codes.
Kerrigan goes on to note that the new legislation will be a benefit to the leaseholders, and a detriment to the citizens of Escambia County. “The land will never revert to the public when the leases expire if this law is passed. Forever the island will be in private hands,” he writes.
The Escambia County Land Conveyance Act was originally supported by Senator Bill Nelson, who recently spoke at a town hall meeting on Aug. 7 at Pensacola State College, stating he would review the bill thoroughly to ensure it would preserve areas on the island that were originally set aside for conservation. Nelson has been instrumental in protecting the Gulf Coast from oil drilling offshore, and is a champion for environmental preservation of the Panhandle. The bill could likley not move forward without his support. Another popular Pensacola voice, attorney Bob Kerrigan has used several local media outlets to voice
The bill will go before the Senate on Sept. 5 and Krumel urges the citizens of Escambia County to continue calling their representatives, and spreading the word about the unintended consequences of this piece of legislation. “All we can do is try to educate the public, let them find out for themselves and demand that we have a referendum and slow this bill down,” Krumel said. “Many people believe this is one of the largest unprecedented land grabs in history—we as citizens need to have a voice in what happens to this county.”
the privatization of pensacola beach could be detrimental to tourist and resident beach access along santa Rosa Island.
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Many people believe this is one of the largest unprecedented land grabs in history—we as citizens need to have a voice in what happens to this county, — Krummel
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Dianne Krummel, second from right, with members of save pensacola beach. For more info, visit savepensacolabeach.org. nwflbusinessclimate.com | Business Climate | 67