Page 4 - The Shores of Jupiter - August '20

Page 4, The Shores
Commissioner’s Update

Summer Update passed which provides a framework for collecting fees for agreed to set aside 150 acres to FWC for the development
towing and storage of immobile vehicles and vessels, and and operation of a public shooting park. The BCC has
By Commissioner we hope that will enhance our efforts to recover costs for approved an amended interlocal agreement with FWC which
Hal Valeche vessel removal. includes the county’s contribution of $1 million toward the
The County Commission Riverbend/Loxahatchee River Battlefield Park construction, funding and maintenance of a paved road to
recently took action on the Interpretive Center: improve access to the park, made available through the FY
following projects in the The Commission amended the Infrastructure Surtax (IST) 2020 Capital Improvement Program.
North County area: Project Plan, shifting $5 million that was projected to become The public shooting park is partially open and when
Derelict Vessel Removal available in 2027 and had been allocated to the North County complete, will feature rifle and handgun ranges, sporting
Project: Palm Beach County District Park, to the Interpretive Center. The City of Palm clays, five-stand, skeet, and American and Olympic trap.
receives grant funding from Beach Gardens, our partner in the development of the district The center will offer target shooting enthusiasts a place to
the Florida Fish and Wildlife park, assumed all construction costs under their long-term gain skills and knowledge for safe, responsible firearms
Conservation Commission lease of the county property within their city. This freed up handling and target shooting. It is accessible from Seminole
(FWC) as well as the Florida the $5 million for reallocation to the Interpretive Center, also Pratt Whitney Road towards the main entrance to the J.W.
Inland Navigation District (FIND) to help cover costs of a District 1 priority. Corbett Wildlife Management Area and Everglades Youth
removing derelict or sunken vessels from waterways within Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission Conservation Center Camp.
the county, including along the Intracoastal Waterway. These (FWC) Public Shooting Park: If there is any way that I or my staff can assist you, please
abandoned boats can create environmental and navigational When Palm Beach County sold the Mecca Property to contact me at (561) 355-2201 or by email at hvaleche@
hazards. The removal is performed by LagoonKeepers.org, a the South Florida Water Management District, the District pbcgov.org.
Florida nonprofit corporation. The Commission authorized a
and the removal can be expedited. Procedures for tagging Florida Power And Light
streamlined process so that the grants can be accessed quickly

and removal are governed by state statutes and carried out
by county or municipal law enforcement, depending on the I’m writing to you on behalf of Stephanie Mitrione, in getting the word out about the assistance that’s available by
location of the vessel. External Affairs manager, to provide an update regarding FPL’s sharing our posts on Facebook [facebook.com] and Twitter
Additionally, I am working with Palm Beach County response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While the [twitter.com].
Environment Resources and Parks and Recreation staff, wide majority of our customers are able to pay their bills, we As we have since mid-March, we’re continuing to suspend
elected officials from Riviera Beach and Palm Beach Shores, do have customers struggling as a result of COVID-19. We disconnections for nonpayment while helping connect customers
law enforcement, Marine Industries, and representatives remain committed to helping those customers still experiencing with financial assistance. And, where there is hardship, we’re
from FWC, FIND, and LagoonKeepers to review our local hardship. continuing to waive late fees and offer customers additional
ordinances concerning regulations for floating structures and As you may know, we have a long history of working with payment extensions to help them manage past-due FPL balances.
live-aboard boats. When these vessels become loose from our customers and connecting them with referral services, such While we never want to turn the lights off for nonpayment
their moorings, particularly in a storm event, they can cause as 211, to find financial assistance. As a result of COVID-19, – especially during these difficult times – we remain mindful
considerable property damage, and if not properly maintained funding to programs, such as the Low-Income Home Energy that unpaid electric bills are ultimately paid for by all FPL
or equipped with sanitation devices, can become a hazard. Assistance Program (LIHEAP), has increased significantly. customers. We will continue to assess our COVID-19 policies
Recommendations developed will be presented to the League Consider: to ensure we’re supporting customers experiencing hardship
of Cities for their consideration. • In Florida, LIHEAP funding has increased nearly 60 percent while also balancing the needs of all of our more than five
This year in the Florida Legislature, House Bill 133 was due to COVID-19. million customers. We urge customers struggling to pay their
• In FPL’s service area alone, we estimate that approximately bill to take action now and call us directly, toll-free, at (800)
226-3545, to discuss their situation, as they remain responsible
75 percent of LIHEAP funding – or $30 million – remains
Florida available to customers. for their outstanding FPL balance.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me at (772) 214-7438 or
• Additionally, qualifications for programs, like LIHEAP,
Wildlife have been modified, meaning more customers are eligible. Don Kiselewski at (561) 379-6064 if you have any questions
Unfortunately, the majority of our customers past-due on their
or concerns.
bill have not reached out to FPL for help, despite our outreach.
Sincerely,
Kate P. Cotner,
Federation Since the beginning of the pandemic, our customer service team Florida Power & Light Company
Senior External Affairs Advisor,
alone has initiated more than 2.1 million phone calls, emails
and other communications. We’d greatly appreciate your help
Creature Feature: Atala

Hairstreak Butterfly

The atala hairstreak
butterfly ranges across
the Caribbean and
reaches the northern
extent of its range in
southeast Florida. The caterpillars and adults of this
species display red and/or yellow coloration, advertising
their toxicity with bright colors. The larvae only eat
coontie cycad plant leaves, so when coonties declined
from harvesting and habitat destruction during the 19th
and 20th centuries, these beautiful butterflies suffered
a similar fate. In fact, the Floridian atala hairstreak
subspecies was thought to be extinct for almost 20 years.
In the last half-century, however, the coontie cycad has
risen in popularity as a landscape ornamental and the
Floridian atala population rebounded. They are now
locally abundant in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm
Beach counties. We may love colorful butterflies, but $59
we’ll lose them unless we protect the plants they rely on Introductory Massage
for food.
For more information about the Florida Wildlife
Federation, please visit our website at www.fwfonline.org.

561-745-1002

654 West Indiantown
Road, Jupiter, FL 33458
www.drlaruffa.com

Atala hairstreak butterfly. Photo by Tasman Rosenfeld,
FWF Youth Conservation Director