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MARATHON WEEKLY / APRIL 21, 2022
NUMBER OF THE WEEK
ON THE COVER
President Joe Biden announced that student debt for more than 40,000 borrowers under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program will be erased. In a statement, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said student loans were never meant to be a life sentence … “but it’s certainly felt that way for borrowers locked out of debt relief they’re eligible for.” In addition, millions of borrowers who paused their payments due to financial troubles will receive credit.
Lady Fin Elena Eubank takes a swing at a pitch against the Coral Shores Hurricanes on April 18. Marathon lost an early lead before rallying for a 12-11 win on Senior Night. See page 21. BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly.
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UPDATED RESTORATION BLUEPRINT NEARS Sanctuary seeks to curb resource decline JIM McCARTHY
jim@keysweekly.com
F
lorida Keys National Marine Sanctuary resources are under threat and facing continued deterioration. With threats of hurricanes and a stony coral tissue loss disease also came a boating boom during the COVID-19 pandemic that’s bringing more human interaction with the marine environment. In a bid to counteract further resource decline, sanctuary officials are preparing to release an updated version of regulatory and management measures — through what’s known as the Restoration Blueprint — in June. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council members received an update on the blueprint during a virtual meeting on April 19. Beth Dieveney, policy analyst for the sanctuary, said proposed boundaries and sanctuary-wide regulations are under review by agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Offices of the National Marine Sanctuaries. Once that’s complete, a proposal will go out to the public for review and comment for a period of 90 days. “We still do not have a definite date for release,” Dieveney said. “Our intent is to release it at a Sanctuary Advisory Council meeting.” Sanctuary Superintendent Sarah Fangman said other agencies are reviewing the proposals relative to their own activities and regulations. She said the sanctuary is basically in a “wait-and-see” mode, but there’s hope that proposed rule changes will be released at the June 21 SAC meeting. “They can raise questions or make suggestions. What they do or do not choose to offer at this stage is totally out of our control,” Fangman said regarding the current review by other agencies. “That is why we are unable to be more explicit about timing. We have no idea what they may raise and what kind of consequences that could have to the timeline.” Once updated regulations are released, sanctuary officials say they will host additional meetings, in-person and virtual — similar to a process that saw public input from the blueprint’s release in August 2019 to a public comment deadline in January 2020. There also will be opportunities to email input through regulations.gov. In addition, Fangman said there will be some interactive tools on the sanctuary’s website to further understand what’s proposed. Once released to the public, Fangman said nothing within the updated proposal will be changed during the feedback period.
Sanctuary Superintendent Sarah Fangman, responds to over 2 hours’ worth of questions from the audience on Oct. 7, 2019 at Coral Shores High School auditorium. TIFFANY DUONG/Keys Weekly
“There’s no opportunity to slide something in while someone is out of town and not looking,” she said. “It is static and will stay exactly the same.” Congress designated the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary on Nov. 16, 1990. Encompassing 3,800 square miles, the sanctuary protects open ocean, offshore reef tract and nearshore patch reefs, as well as seagrass meadows and fringing mangroves. The sanctuary is also home to maritime heritage resources that encompass a broad historical period. A 2011 condition report on the sanctuary detailed declining water quality, habitats and key species due to coastal development, overfishing, vessel groundings and marine debris, among other factors. Since that report, the Keys experienced Hurricane Irma and an increase in boaters. A recent study by Bonefish & Tarpon Trust analyzed 93 South Florida bonefish for an average of seven pharmaceuticals in their systems. One fish had 17 pharmaceuticals. It’s the first in-depth review of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary's regulations and marine zoning approach since they were established in 1997. In the two decades since, the sanctuary said a lot has been learned about what management tools work and where improvements can be made. With the release of the Restoration Blueprint in 2019 came a document with four alternatives. They proposed expanding several protected areas and revising restrictions for several others. Several new marine zones were also included in the proposals. Concerns were relayed over some proposed regulations and boundaries following the blueprint’s release. In Key West, concerns were raised during continued on page 7
