The
Mission of the Department of Environmental
Protection is to work as partners with Floridian's
to: Protect, Conserve and Manage Florida's
Environment and Natural Resources. The Department
accomplishes this mission in a manner that:
In
During the 1990's, the Department completed and
published it's Ecosystem Management Implementation
Strategy: Action Plan. This document was completed
after more than 300 citizens and public servants
from all levels of government volunteered their
time to assist the Department with the effort. The
final product included input from scientists,
academicians, resource managers, and many staff
from all levels of state, local, and federal
government. The report makes many key
recommendations in several different areas of the
Department's programs. Overall the Department plans
to use many different tools to implement Ecosystem
Management or holistic Watershed Management throughout the state, these include:
science (including natural resources monitoring and
inventories), regulation, economic incentives,
planning, land management, land acquisition, and
environmental education.
Several
of the key recommendations are directly related to
the mission and services of the Florida Geological
Survey. Some of these include:
It's
clear that the fundamental concept enumerated by
"Ecosystem Management" or "Watershed
Management" is the long-term
sustainability of our environment, and the
application of informed natural resources
conservation principles to land-use planning and
regulation programs. This overall mandate, at it's
foundation must be based on sound knowledge of the
solid earth. The Florida Geological Survey is the
provider of geologic data for the State of Florida.
It has served in that role since the first State
Geologist in 1852 was assigned the responsibility
to drain lowlands for agricultural development.
Since those early beginnings, geologic reports
prepared by the FGS have contributed to answering
many questions related to land-use, water resources
supply and protection, mineral resources, geologic
hazards, environmental assessments, and many other
natural resources issues. The Survey's long
tradition of germane public service and applied
science continues today.
Chapter
377 Part 1, Florida Statutes is dominantly an oil
and gas chapter which describes the oil and gas
regulatory mandates of the Survey. Section 377.075
FS, however, describes the establishment of the
Florida Geological Survey and the designation of
the State Geologist as the Survey's director. The
section further identifies the duties and
state-wide responsibilities of the State Geologist
and the staff of the Survey.
FGS
GOALS AND STRATEGIES
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Topical
Program Issue Maintain the reputation
of the FGS for unbiased, credible, scientific
interpretations and impartial research results
dissemination.
Strengthen
the technical expertise and capability of the staff
and research facilities. Ensure that research
investigations are peer reviewed as appropriate
from scientific colleagues. Develop a research
program focused on desired scientific and technical
accomplishments upon which societally relevant
program initiatives can be based. Provide
educational opportunities for staff to meet new
earth science challenges and other professional services. Encourage staff
participation in professional meetings and
conferences to provide dissemination of research
results and staff professional development.
Topical
Program Issue - Cooperate as a partner
with other governmental agencies, academia,
industry, the consulting community, and the public,
to further the geoscience program service
capabilities of the FGS.
Share
research results through publications, workshops, seminars,
lectures, and in-house training programs. Explore
and develop partnerships with various agencies and
organizations, academia, and industry to acquire
and operate technical instrument systems. Continue
to develop
partnerships with various agencies to jointly
participate in geoscience investigations thereby
taking advantage of different capabilities,
equipment, and facilities. Maintain a system to receive
and accecpt aid, contributions or loans from various
sources to further the mission of the FGS. Pursue and
oversight communication link with various agencies
funded by the state regarding the revisions of geologic
interpretations and /or nomenclature. Continue growth of
Hydrogeology and Coastal interpretative geoscience
projects in response to the State's needs. Continue to
propose the designation of "state geological sites" and
/ or "state's invertebrate paleontological sites".
Continue and expand the Geology of State Parks
Leaflet Series and provide the Division of State Parks
geoscience interpretative educational materials. Expand
the economic minerals programs to collect and maintain
data on the minerals industry of the state. Develop
in-house economic minerals assessment staff expertise
and program capabilities.
Topical
Program Issue - Maintain a state-wide
solid-earth science data repository which is
readily available to the user community and is
accessible through electronic searching technology.
Obtain
staffing to oversee the well-cuttings and core
repository. Incorporate the outcrop sample
collection into the sample repository. Plan on
expanded core storage space to supplement our
current fully occupied facility. Convert the sample
inventory files to digital computer based formats.
Obtain modern laboratory facilities to process rock
and sediment samples as received from well drillers
and consultants. Incorporate the sample file
database into the DEP natural resources / ecosystem
database system and map libraries for multi-user
access. Continue development of geologic and map
data GIS capabilities and program support.
Modernize the Library inventory and shelf catalog
files to facilitate electronic searches. Develop a
mineralogical & geochemical inventory program
to support basic natural resource and ecosystem
biological monitoring program needs.
Topical
Program Issue - Provide relevant, timely
geoscience investigation results to assist with
land-use management decisions, environmental
regulations, natural resources conservation
concerns, ecosystem management needs, and other
applied earth science issues.
Continue
dissemination of geological information and results
of investigations in the FGS professional
publication series. Continue to review and offer
alternate methods to make reports available such as
"print-on demand" capabilities, Internet access to
report files, CD ROM production, and other
vehicles to provide a cost effective means of
information dessemination. Provide "Open File Reports"
as project "deliverables" for various partner clients to
facilitate timely project completions and public access.
Periodically solicit geoscience interpretation needs
from various agencies both within the DEP and from
outside agencies, to adjust program goals and
capabilites. Cooperate to provide assistance and assist
with problem solving by providing a geoscience
perspective. Continue development of the FGS Educational
Program products. Expand outreach and media of
educational products. Plan for additional staff
dedicated to geoscience educational project development
to participate with DEP Management Educational programs.
Develop a "deliverable mentality" on geoscience research
investigations to be able to provide quick turn around
answers to questions posed by elected officials of
agency managers.
Topical
Program Issue - Provide effective and
efficient oversight of the Oil & Gas
Exploration and Production operations throughout
the state.
Implement
the "Operational Permit" recertification
process as a means of
routinely reviewing an operator's facilities on a
formal reoccurring basis. Continue with rule
revisions and propose statute amendments as
appropriate, to reflect modern technical
capabilities of the industry and environmental
protection and natural resources conservation
desires. Acquire staff to provide in-house
expertise regarding seismic data interpretations,
and to oversee the field operations to ensure permit
enforcement compliance. Continue development of digital
oil & gas well file base maps and online data access,
and on-line permit application forms. Plan on
the conversion of all geophysical well log data (oil
wells and water wells / core tests) to a digital file
database. Propose a budget issue to accomplish this
task. Standardize all reporting requirements for ease of
future communication. Continue program development and
reformatting of historical permit data into a
relational database for ease of retrieval and topical
field maniputation.
Topical Program Issue: Develop an appropriate
educational outreach, and interagency support program to document
and celebrate 100 years of Geology in the Public Service by the FGS.
(FGS 100th Anniversary in 2007).
Develop a 100th anniversary Special Publication Map Series to incorporate
and display numerous earth science parameters fundamental to informed
successful environmental regulations, land-use planning, natural resource
conservation, and sustainable development. Begin to prepare for the
annual meeting of the Association of American State Geologists to be
held in Florida in 2007 to recognize the FGS’s 100th anniversary.
Plan on associated fieldtrips and guidebooks, and assign staff active rolls.
Consider a symposium for 2007, during the annual Earth Science Week,
to highlight solid-earth contributions and significance to: environmental
protection, natural resources conservation, natural systems dynamics, and
mineral wealth and lifestyle sustainability. Target 2007 for the initial
award of an annual “Florida Geology in Support of Public Needs” Medal
(tentatively named the Dr. Herman Gunter Medal).
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