(5.9) OPINION - Ocklawaha River Pro-Restoration vs Anti-Restoration
The Principal Entities (Groups, Individuals, and/or Organizations)
PRO Ocklawaha River Restoration
VS
ANTI Ocklawaha River Restoration
An Information, Opinion, Photos, & Sources Report
Compiled by Ocklawahaman Paul Nosca
Created: 09 November 2017
Last Revised: 29 October 2019
ALSO VISIT:
October 10, 2017
Florida Defenders of the Environment (FDE)
vs.
United States Forest Service (USFS)
LAWSUIT / LITIGATION
Florida Defenders of the Environment et al
v. United States Forest Service
Case# 3:17-cv-01128
https://sites.google.com/site/freetheocklawahariver/2017-fde-v-usfs-3-17-cv-01128
NOTE: Click-on individual photos to enlarge them!
ABOUT "NON-PROFIT" / "NOT-FOR-PROFIT" ORGANIZATIONS
Of course, one must keep in mind that the officers of any not for profit corporation have one overriding supreme concern -- to meet the legal, payroll, and other operating expenses of the non-profit, they must out of necessity maintain its financial viability by collecting membership dues and other $$$ funds!
The Principal PRO Ocklawaha River Restoration ENTITIES
"Florida Defenders of the Environment"
https://www.facebook.com/Floridadefenders/
The Florida Defenders of the Environment (FDE), headquartered in Melrose, is a Florida non-profit organization established in 1969 (50 years ago) to advocate for the ending of any further Cross Florida Barge Canal (CFBC) construction along with the eventual restoration to free-flowing again of the Ocklawaha - Silver River system -- Silver Springs to the St. Johns River -- by the breaching of Rodman Dam. That was the PRINCIPAL and STATED mission for the formation of FDE-- to influence the federal and state governments to restore the free-flow of the Ocklawaha River by dismantling the blockage of Rodman Dam. President Richard M. Nixon ordered a halt to the CFBC project on January 19, 1971. In the more then 48 years since, however, precious little progress has been made as far as beginning the actual process of restoring to free-and-swift flowing again of the 56-mile "By-God", "Source-to-the-Sea", mainstream Silver Springs-Silver River-Ocklawaha River system by the breaching of Rodman Dam.
According to the latest freely-available online data, FDE has possibly somewhere beyond 2,000 dues-paying members.
"Florida Wildlife Federation"
https://www.facebook.com/FlWildFed/
The Florida Wildlife Federation (FWF) is a Florida non-profit organization established in 1937 (82 years ago). The FWF’s place of business is in Tallahassee, Florida, with regional offices and field representatives in Naples and St. Augustine, Florida. The FWF is a conservation organization whose purpose for being includes the protection of the environment, protecting the fish and wildlife resources, protection of the air and water quality of the State of Florida, and the protection of listed species and their habitats.
According to the latest freely-available online data, FWF has possibly somewhere beyond 14,000 dues-paying members.
"St. Johns Riverkeeper"
http://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/
https://www.facebook.com/stjohnsriverkeeper/
St. Johns Riverkeeper (SJRK), headquartered in Jacksonville, is a Florida non-profit organization established in 2000 (19 years ago) to advocate for the ecological resources and water quality of the entire St. Johns River basin along with several thousand people who use and enjoy its waters for boating, fishing, hunting, and observing birds and other wildlife throughout the watershed of the St. Johns River.
According to the latest freely-available online data, SJRK has possibly somewhere beyond 1,400 dues-paying members.
http://portal.clubrunner.ca/2114/Stories/lisa-rinaman-st.-johns-riverkeeper-stops-by-to-chat
The "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" Petition
The FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM sign for-free $$$ online petition by "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca was created and posted to the internet on June 24, 2016. Currently, as of October 29, 2019, this petition has received 2,770 signatures of concerned citizens who have signed FOR-FREE $$$.
The petition is based upon the St. Johns River Water Management District's "Technical Publication SJ2016-1" by John Hendrickson, Environmental Scientist VI, which contains the data -- about DISSOLVED SILICA, NITROGEN, and PHOSPHORUS (and their combined effects on possible [downstream] St. Johns River harmful algal blooms) -- best supporting that the restoration of the Ocklawaha River will be beneficial for the entire St. Johns River basin.
"Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca, who strives for accuracy and honesty, worships zealously a more natural Ocklawaha River valley that includes the restoration of the 56 river miles from Silver Springs to the St. Johns as a free-and-swift-flowing stream. A private, retired citizen and U.S. Army veteran, he is a member of NO environmental organization but volunteers his Ocklawaha River experience, observations, research, and sources to sincere individuals or groups that share his zeal for RESTORING this old "crooked river." "Ocklawahaman" has canoed, explored, fished, hiked, and lawfully hunted the Florida outdoors since 1962 (and still does). Unlike almost everybody else involved with this issue, more of his life's outdoor time -- fishing, exploring, and hunting -- has actually been spent in the Ocklawaha River basin (canoeing its waters and swamp-stomping or hammock-humping its jungle-like swamps and hammocks) than anywhere else. And "Ocklawahaman" has actively advocated for Ocklawaha River restoration since 2006.
IMPORTANT NOTE: "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca is a totally non-commercial, retired, private citizen and does not seek $$$ and does not accept any $$$ contributions for this cause! The State of Florida and the United States governments -- that provide me retirement benefits (for my past services to them) -- OWN almost all of the Ocklawaha River's water and its submerged and corridor lands and collect taxes from MOST all of us. Lets FOR-FREE $$$ encourage Florida and the U.S.A. to wisely follow the principals of ecology and FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM!
When you join forces with the "Ocklawahaman" to "FREE THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER BY THE BREACHING OF RODMAN DAM" by signing the online petition FOR-FREE $$$ it costs you NO $$$. "Ocklawahaman" has NO lawyers for you to payroll! YOU get to buy a backpack, BBQ dinner, canoe, or kayak with your DOUGH and enjoy the remaining segments of the free-flowing Ocklawaha River and its superbly forested jungle-like corridor.
"Ocklawahaman" wants Rodman Dam breached to begin the restoration process DURING MY LIFETIME -- I don't have another 48 years to wait!
The Principal ANTI Ocklawaha River Restoration ENTITIES
"Save Rodman Reservoir"
https://www.facebook.com/SaveRodmanReservoir/
Save Rodman Reservoir (SRR) of Palatka is a Florida non-profit organization established in 1995 (24 years ago) to advocate for the continuance of the existence of Rodman Reservoir (aka Rodman Pool or Lake Ocklawaha) in its present form of some 9,000 to 13,000 acres in size along with its associated Rodman Dam spillway/tailrace and Buckman Lock for the several thousand people who use and enjoy these manipulated waters for boating, fishing, hunting, and observing birds and other wildlife.
According to the latest freely-available online data, SRR has possibly somewhere beyond 1,700 members.
http://www.scottchurchdirect.com/ted-williams.aspx/dam-removal?pg=3
"Bass Anglers Sportsman Society"
https://www.facebook.com/bass/
World famous for its "Bassmaster Magazine", The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) of Birmingham, Alabama -- which was formed in 1967 -- is a fishing membership organization with more than a half a million dues-paying members. It is geared toward bass fishermen, mainly in the United States but with members located worldwide. B.A.S.S. supports the retention of Rodman Reservoir for its commercialized and/or para-commercialized largemouth bass fishing interests and their bass tournaments.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Anglers_Sportsman_Society
"Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca's Bass Angling Began in Florida 54 Years Ago in 1965!
Fishing Man-Made Ponds & Lakes -- Later I Discovered the Aesthetic Beauty of
"By-God" Flowing Rivers & Streams
And I Want Rodman Dam Breached to Restore the 56-mile Free-and-Swift-Flowing "By-God", "Source-to-the-Sea" Ocklawaha-Silver River System!
This would allow our native Atlantic-race STRIPED BASS to reproduce naturally again in the Ocklawaha River as they did prior to the closure of Rodman Dam on September 30, 1968.
Email: ocklawahaman1@gmail.com
End.