Under the leadership of Governor Jeb Bush, Florida forged a 30-year, $8 billion State-federal partnership to implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, saving America’s Everglades and returning a natural flow of water across the 2.4 million-acre marsh. The largest environmental restoration project in the nation’s history, saving the famed River of Grass will improve the quality of rivers and estuaries, revive habitat for more than 60 threatened and endangered species and replenish water supplies for millions of Floridians.

• Broke ground on the State’s first Acceler8 project, a Florida initiative that accelerates eight critical restoration projects to achieve environmental results sooner and at substantial savings to taxpayers.
• Outlined a draft plan, with South Florida Water Management District, to reduce saltwater intrusion and return freshwater flows to the Loxahatchee River, Florida’s first National Wild and Scenic River.
• Applauded the commitment of the South Florida Water Management District to restore Lake Trafford, the largest lake in southwest Florida. Part of the Everglades ecosystem, the 1,500-acre lake feeds a natural sheet flow of water south to coastal estuaries, Corkscrew Swamp and across Picayune Strand.
• Authorized the 2nd phase of restoration along the Kissimmee River, the headwaters of America's Everglades. Water managers commenced the second phase of a half-billion dollar plan to restore 28,800 acres of wetlands and reestablish a natural flow of water to 43 miles of river.
• Completed construction of a 900-acre reservoir providing relief to the historically flood-prone communities of Sweetwater, West Miami and Flagami. Constructed in record time -- less than three years from start to finish -- the $30 million impoundment that holds more than one billion gallons of water.
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted final approval of Florida’s rule to limit phosphorus levels in America’s Everglades. The science-based rule establishes a phosphorus standard of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for the entire freshwater area of the Everglades Protection Area.
• The State conveyed 345 acres to the South Florida Water Management District, providing the final parcel of land needed to expand the Everglades Agricultural Area Stormwater Treatment Area by 20,000 acres, enhancing the performance of more than 40,000 acres of man-made wetlands already built by the state.
• Governor Jeb Bush and state officials unveiled a comprehensive plan to accelerate restoration and recovery of Lake Okeechobee, the largest freshwater lake in the southeast. Under the $200 million recovery plan, the State will expand water storage areas, construct treatment marshes and expedite environmental management initiatives to enhance the ecological health of the lake and downstream coastal estuaries.
• The South Florida Water Management District, in partnership with DEP, published the first comprehensive report detailing a year of scientific, engineering and restoration work to improve the environmental quality of America’s Everglades and the entire South Florida ecosystem.

During Governor Bush’s Administration, the State of Florida has preserved more than a million acres of environmentally sensitive land and protected more than 5,400 acres of archaeological and historical sites. The 10-year, $3 billion Florida Forever program established by Governor Bush and the Florida Legislature in 1999 conserves environmentally sensitive land, restores waterways and preserves important cultural and historical resources. Acquisitions protect habitat for 278 different species, including 137 state-listed endangered species, 52 state-listed threatened species and 23 species of special concern.

• Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Cabinet approved the preliminary agreement for the purchase of close to 74,000 acres of Babcock Ranch, completing a natural land corridor from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico and preserving important habitat for some of Florida’s most endangered species.
• The State deeded 18,617 acres of land to the federal government, receiving in return 4,559 acres and the mineral interests in more than 292,000 acres of forestland. The $44 million State-federal exchange involving seven properties across 11 Florida counties will improve government efficiency, streamline land management and save taxpayers money.
• By way of a conservation easement, Florida preserved 17,300 acres of land in Walton County as an addition to the Northwest Florida Greenway, with a local homeowner donating an additional 2,100 acres. Designed to conserve 100 miles of land and air space, the proposed Greenway stretches from Gulf and Franklin counties along the Panhandle to Eglin Air Force Base.
• Through Florida Forever, the state preserved more than 5,500 acres through a partnership between the State, the U.S. Department of the Navy and the city of Jacksonville. The acquisitions border the entire eastern, northern and northwestern boundaries of the Whitehouse Naval Outlying Field, providing a significant buffer for the military installation, creating a wildlife corridor and doubling the size of Cary State Forest.
• Purchased the first 960 acres within the St. Johns River Blueway Florida Forever project.
• The State closed on more than 9,500 acres of black bear habitat within the Northeast Florida Timberlands and Watershed Reserve Florida Forever project, and acquired an additional 2,900 acres through a partnership with St. Johns River Water Management District.
• Officially closed on the Boomer Estate, preserving this historic house and protecting Florida’s oldest aquatic preserve.
• Preserved more than 330 acres of land surrounding Silver Springs, a first magnitude spring in Marion County. The purchase will protect the health, quality and flow of one of the largest freshwater springs in Florida.
• Conserved 44 acres on Grassy Key as part of the Florida Keys Ecosystem Florida Forever project. The purchase includes 600 feet of ocean front property, providing habitat for nesting marine sea turtles like the Atlantic Loggerhead.
• To date, the State has acquired more than 350 parcels representing more than 200 acres in Florida Keys Ecosystem, Coupon Bight/Key Deer and North Key Largo Hammocks Florida Forever projects. Additionally, 1,150 parcels representing more than 475 acres have been successfully negotiated and are currently pending closing.
• Acquired a conservation easement over the 1,000-acre Brahma Island in Osceola County, buffering the Kissimmee River, protecting a vital military installation from encroachment and safeguarding the habitat of one of the largest populations of bald eagles in the state.
• Acting of behalf of the State of Florida, the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority finalized acquisition of the first land parcel identified for protection in the Wekiva Parkway and Protection Act signed by Governor Jeb Bush in June 2004.
• Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Cabinet approved a massive land exchange with the federal government involving 316,000 acres. As part of the transaction, the State of Florida will obtain the mineral rights to more than 290,000 acres of forestland and take ownership of 4,500 acres, representing a total value of $22.4 million.

Florida has successfully prompted the modernization of older power plants to achieve the largest reductions in emissions of soot, sulfur dioxide and smog-contributing nitrogen oxide in Florida’s history, making the state one of just three states east of the Mississippi River to meet all federal standards for clean air. To guarantee cleaner air for Florida's communities, reduce Florida’s reliance on foreign oil and diversify the economy, Governor Bush and DEP are leading the charge to identify conservation strategies, diversify fuel supplies and pursue alternative fuel and energy sources.

• Purchased the world’s first commercial hydrogen-powered shuttle buses. Created by the Ford Motor Company, the State of Florida ordered eight of the V-10, Ford E-450 buses.
• Governor Jeb Bush joined with Ford Motor Company Chairman and CEO Bill Ford and executives from ChevronTexaco Corporation and Progress Energy Florida to break ground on the state’s first hydrogen energy station in metro-Orlando, slated for completion in 2006.
• Purchased 21 Ford Escape Hybrid SUVs, expanding the Department’s fleet of hybrid vehicles to more than 90.
• Received first hydrogen fuel cell fleet, three Ford Focus Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles used in DEP’s Central District and at Wekiwa Springs State Park.
• Installed a solar electric system at Episcopal High School in Jacksonville, producing 4,760 watts of electricity through solar technology as part of Florida’s SunSmart Schools Program. Combining state and private funding to provide clean energy and science education, 29 solar electric systems will be installed in schools throughout Florida and will generate 112,620 total watts.
• Installed a hydrogen fuel cell system to power the Wildlife Encounter Pavilion at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, providing clean energy to the park and exposing hundreds of thousands of visitors to the emerging technology.
• Provided a training workshop for fire marshals around the state for a first-hand look at hydrogen energy technology, introducing them to Florida’s energy future through presentations covering the manufacture and safety of hydrogen to a hands-on showcase of pollution-free vehicles and fueling.
• Provided a solar hot water heater to a citizen’s home through the SunBuilt program for ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Built by one of Florida’s SunBuilt Silver builders, the 5,000 square foot home was fitted with two solar water collectors on the roof to provide the family with low cost and pollution-free hot water.
• The Florida Hydrogen Business Partnership released a finalized strategy for hydrogen business development in the state, recommending public-private partnerships, a streamlined siting process, tax incentives and a diverse portfolio of demonstration projects.
• Partnered with Delta Air Lines, Ford Motor Company, TUG Technologies Corporation and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) to purchase hydrogen-powered tow tractors for one of Florida’s busiest airports. Delta Air Lines will use the near-zero emission tow tractors to transport passenger luggage.
• Continued Florida’s partnership with Gulf Power/Southern Company to upgrade their equipment at the Crist Pensacola Plant to reduce fine particulate and ozone precursors. In addition, DEP permitted Gulf Power’s first-of-a-kind Mercury Research Facility in Pensacola and began discussions with Southern Company and Orlando Utilities Commission about the integrated coal gasification and combined cycle (IGCC) unit to be built in the OUC Stanton Plant in Orlando.
• Purchased twelve hydrogen fuel cell systems to provide pollution-free backup power for a dozen DEP offices around the state.
• Partnered with the Florida State University and the Friends of Wakulla Springs to convert one of Wakulla Spring’s river tour boats from gas to electric power, reducing emissions and providing more than 80,000 annual passengers with an environmentally-friendly tour.
• Became the recognized national leader for air pollution control technology from cement plants and was nominated for a Clean Air Award by EPA for nitrogen oxides (NOx) control demonstration.
• Became the first agency to require mercury continuous emissions monitoring (Hg-CEMS) system at greenfield cement projects.
• Tampa Bay residents breathed easier and enjoyed the full benefits of DEP's 1999 Clean Air Act enforcement case. Acid gases and ozone/fine particulate precursor emissions were reduced by approximately 72,000 tons per year (TPY) to less than 1,000 TPY from the repowering of the old TECO Gannon (now called Bayside).
• Initiated rulemaking on measures that ensure that existing facilities contributing to visibility impairment and ozone/fine particulate formation are cleaned up under the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART). Also initiated rulemaking to ensure there will be reductions in mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants pursuant to the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR).

Home to 1,350 miles of shoreline, 41 aquatic preserves, three of the nation’s 26 estuarine research reserves and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida has become a leader in ocean and water resource protection. Over the past six years, Florida has invested more than $1.9 billion to clean up stormwater pollution, upgrade drinking water facilities and improve wastewater treatment, funding more than 950 projects statewide. Conserving land and improving wastewater treatment in the Florida Keys is also protecting the third largest barrier reef in the world. In addition, the state establishing the Tortugas Ecological Reserve as one of the largest marine reserves in the world, creating a “no-discharge zone” in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and developing partnerships with the cruise ship and marine industries to improve environmental management practices.

• Received more than $73 million from Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Legislature to continue restoring the state’s world-renowned beaches following the devastation of the 2004 and 2005 hurricanes. This funding is built upon $68 million appropriated by the 2004 Legislative Special Session, which set aside supplemental emergency funding to rebuild dunes and repair miles of sandy beaches ravaged by the forces of four hurricanes.
• Set aside $287 million in this year’s budget to clean up pollution and upgrade water facilities in Florida’s communities, including $7 million to improve wastewater treatment in the Florida Keys and protect the nation’s only barrier coral reef.
• This year, the Florida Legislature allocated a record $50 million for the state’s watershed restoration and protection programs, including $25 million for restoration of Lake Okeechobee.
• Appropriated $2.5 million for a fifth consecutive year to further protect Florida’s 700 freshwater springs through the Florida Springs Initiative.
• Expanded the Learning in Florida's Environment (LIFE) Program to three additional counties as a partnership between the Department and Wakulla, St. Johns and Columbia counties.
• Identified the third of five groups of rivers, estuaries and lakes targeted for restoration through the Total Maximum Daily Load program, which uses sound science to clean up degraded waters.
• Eliminated the potential for oil drilling in the state’s waters by acquiring the last remaining oil leases from Coastal Petroleum, protecting Florida’s coastal waters and natural resources and ending more than 15 years of legal wrangling.
• Set aside another $1 million to safeguard Florida’s ocean resources, advancing state-of-the-art coastal observation technologies, expanding recreation and ocean education, conducting marine resource assessments and increasing protection for seagrass beds, fisheries and coral reefs.
• Released the final draft of a three-year interagency plan, developed by the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI) Team, to protect and manage coral reefs in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties.
• Established the Florida Oceans and Coastal Council, a statewide oversight group that coordinates public and private ocean research for more effective coastal management.
• Completed a management agreement between the state of Florida and the National Park Service, providing the next steps for implementing a comprehensive management plan for Dry Tortugas National Park and enhancing protection for archeological treasures, coral reefs and wildlife habitat over 100 square nautical miles.
• Hosted the first meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, where the five Gulf states and the federal government outlined a shared ecosystem-based approach for improving the health of the more than 3.7 billion acres of Gulf water through coordinated coastal research, ocean education and water quality safeguards.

The Department is resolving long-standing, complex environmental challenges with the firm and fair enforcement of environmental laws. Over the last six years, law enforcement agents investigated 4,350 criminal environmental cases, regulatory enforcement jumped 30 percent compared to the previous six-year period and penalties increased by nearly $11.3 million.

To improve compliance and strengthen protection for Florida’s natural resources, the Department is also augmenting traditional environmental regulation with technical assistance programs and “green” business partnerships.

• Issued more than 1,100 consent orders and assessed $7.3 million in enforcement penalties.
• Investigated more than 500 criminal environmental cases.
• Through the Clean Boating Partnership, encouraged marinas, boatyards and boaters to protect Florida’s waterways through the Clean Marina and Clean Boatyard programs. More than 110 marinas and more than 20 boatyards have been designated since 2000.
• Welcomed six new lodges and eleven technical partners and vendors to the Florida Green Lodging program, who voluntarily implement or promote environmental and pollution-prevention practices.
• Expanded the Compliance Assistance Program, a business assistance program guiding Florida’s automotive repair and recycling industries through the environmental compliance process. The program helps auto facility owners learn about Florida’s environmental regulations and prevent pollution by adopting best management practices. New self-audit materials were distributed statewide for these industries, translated in both English and Spanish.
• Initiated a School Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3), in partnership with the Florida Department of Education, to assist school science laboratories in cleaning out excess, legacy, unused and improperly stored chemicals and implementing preventive mechanisms in schools.
• Continued our partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to implement Operation Cleansweep, a program that provides farmers, nursery operators, golf course operators and pest control services a one-time safe and economical way to dispose of their cancelled, suspended and unusable pesticides. In 2005, collections were made in 25 counties, serving 68 participants and removing over 49,000 pounds of pesticides from the environment.
• Funded the installation of 56 pump-out facilities across 20 counties through the Clean Vessel Act, allowing recreational boaters to prevent pollution and safely dispose of waste.
• Provided more than more than $1.2 million to support recycling and reduce municipal solid waste in seven Florida communities.
• Launched *DEP, an initiative allowing visitors and residents to simply dial *DEP from Cingular cell phones to report major environmental crimes, including illegal dumping of hazardous materials, construction debris, oil drums and biological waste.
• Partnered with the Department of Management Services to establish a recycling program for state office buildings, collecting and recycling white office paper and corrugated cardboard from all state offices in the Tallahassee area.
• Joined forces with Southern Express Lubes, Inc. to protect Florida’s environment by increasing the number of Public Used Oil Collection Centers to more than 1,100 do-it-yourself used oil recycling locations.
• Assisted auto salvage yards to safeguard the environment through best management practices as part of the Green Yards program.
• Hosted the K-12 Recycling Pledge Card Contest, recognizing elementary, middle and high school classrooms for outstanding environmental commitment.
• Celebrated Florida’s 100^th Clean Marina, Quail Valley River Club of Vero Beach.
• Increased safety for visitors to Florida’s state trails by adding a motorcycle to DEP’s Division of Law Enforcement’s fleet. Funded by DEP’s Office of Greenways and Trails, the motorcycle will be used to patrol and respond to emergency calls along the state’s trails in Central Florida.
• Through our investigation, we stopped the selling of hundreds of protected species of orchids and flowers stolen from two state parks through a St. Petersburg-based nursery and through the online auction website, e-Bay.

The state of Florida manages more than 3.3 million acres of public land, including 500 state parks, preserves, forests and wildlife management areas. Over the last six years, the state added more than 450 miles of trails and more than 3,860 acres to its network of greenways and trails. Florida’s state park system is one of the largest in the country with 159 parks spanning more than 723,000 acres and 100 miles of sandy white beach.

• Became the first state park system in the nation to be presented the National Recreation and Parks Association’s Gold Medal Award for the second time, honoring Florida as the “Nation’s Best State Park Service”.
• Opened Lafayette Blue Spring State Park along the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, a first magnitude spring that pumps more than 45,000 gallons of cool, clear water per minute into the historic river.
• Set aside another $1 million in this year’s budget to strengthen the economy of rural Florida by building and expanding a network of trails and campgrounds in areas along the Suwannee River.
• Welcomed more than 17.3 million visitors to Florida’s award-winning state parks.
• Florida’s state parks contributed more than $665 million to local communities last fiscal year and generated more than 13,000 jobs.
• Broke ground on a new 11,000 square foot Environmental Research and Education Center at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, which includes an exhibit hall, auditorium, classrooms and laboratories.
• The DEP-supported documentary Living Waters: Aquatic Preserves of Florida was displayed at Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center and Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, taking viewers on a magical journey into 12 of Florida’s 41 aquatic preserves.
• Opened a four acre bayside park in Lover’s Key State Park, which provides two playgrounds, nine pavilions, a volleyball court, restroom facilities and an additional field for flying kites and playing.
• Launched Get REAL! in Florida State Parks, a new program to expand opportunities in Florida’s 159 state parks by building on the parks’ broad multicultural, educational and recreational programs to enrich learning and integrate the use of state parks with local community programs.
• Opened five cabins along the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail and 20 lakeside cabins at Lake Louisa State Park, located along Dixie Lake with breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding natural areas.
• Saved taxpayers more than $18.4 million with the contribution of more than one million hours of service by state park volunteers. The first state park service in the nation to reach that goal, the work of Florida’s park volunteers is equivalent of 505 full-time employment positions worked in volunteer hours -- nearly half of the size of the state park workforce.
• Opened the new 21,000 square-foot Environmental Education Center at Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, which includes interpretive exhibits, aquariums, classrooms, reading room, teaching and working laboratories, an auditorium and an outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Guana River Aquatic Preserve.
• Florida State Parks launched “One Tank Adventures” on its online park guide, allowing visitors to plan last minute, low-expense and cost-saving outdoor adventures by searching for state parks within a 100 mile radius of nearly 55 cities in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
• Unveiled expanded website, Wakulla Springs: A Giant Among Us, which profiles the state’s largest artesian freshwater spring. The site allows online explorers to learn about the Wakulla Springs cave system by moving a “virtual diver” along explored sections of the cave.
• Added virtual tours of Florida State Parks to the award-winning online park guide.

Under the leadership of Governor Jeb Bush and with the support of the 2005 Florida Legislature, Florida now has the first overhaul of growth management laws in two decades. Florida’s “pay-as-you-grow” plan ensures that the roads, schools and the water needed to support growing communities is in place, or planned for, ahead of time. The new system bases decisions about new development on the ability of Florida’s communities to provide adequate infrastructure.

• Governor Jeb Bush announced a funding plan for growth management by recommending the state provide $9.5 billion during the next decade.
• The Departments of Environmental Protection, Community Affairs and Transportation applauded the Florida Legislature’s passage of Governor Jeb Bush’s landmark proposal to overhaul the state’s growth management laws for the first time in two decades.
• Governor Jeb Bush signed three bills that overhaul the state’s growth management laws. Established Florida’s new “pay-as-you-grow” plan, Senate Bills 360, 444 and 362 together ensure the roads, schools and water are available to meet the needs of communities in one of the fastest growing states in the nation.
• Supported an overhaul of the state’s growth management reform laws, including the development of the Water Protection and Sustainability Program within DEP and a $200 million allocation this year to support water-related programs, including alternative water supply projects.

Floridians endured the impacts of another record-breaking hurricane season, with four major storms landing on Florida’s shores. Agency employees and volunteers joined thousands of relief workers to assist with storm recovery throughout the state.

• Published a notice of rule development to strengthen environmental management requirements for phosphogypsum stack systems, requiring operators of “gyp” stack systems to better plan for emergencies and take actions to reduce on-site water levels, avoid wastewater spills and provide the state with timely information.
• Completed aerial and ground assessments across more than 15 counties, shooting video and photographs to document hurricane damage and prepare a damage assessment report for Florida’s coastline.
• DEP established the Florida Water/Wastewater Response Network (FlaWARN) with a $180,000 federal grant to help Florida’s drinking water and wastewater facilities prepare for and recover from disasters. The web-based information network was utilized by facilities in response to Hurricane Dennis and Wilma, as well as Hurricane Katrina across the Gulf states.
• Of the 159 state parks, 48 experienced closures during Hurricane Wilma. Due to the tireless efforts of park staff and volunteers, the parks were open again just two weeks after the storm passed.
• Florida State Parks welcomed families impacted by Hurricane Katrina and Wilma, inviting them to stay at camp sites free of charge.
• More than 44 Florida State Parks AmeriCorps members removed fallen trees and covered damaged rooftops with blue tarps for elderly, disabled and low income families impacted by Hurricane Dennis. The team assessed more than 4,600 homes for damage, removed massive oaks and pines and tarped more than 66 damaged roofs.
• Utilized electronic field permitting equipment to streamline the authorization process for residents of south Florida, accelerating emergency field permitting in areas hit hardest by this year’s storms.

The Department’s programs, partnerships and employees were recognized across the state and nation for environmental excellence in 2005.

• Florida Caverns State Park received the Wayne Mixson Economic Development Award at the 77th Annual Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Meeting & Banquet for contributing nearly $3.5 million to the local economy and welcoming 95,000 visitors last year.
• Van Hoofnagle, Administrator of the Drinking Water Section, was appointed as the 2005 president for the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA). ASDWA is a national association representing Safe Drinking Water Act programs in the nation’s 50 states and six territories.
• The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan program received the 2005 "PISCES" Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for innovative and effective use of SRF financing mechanisms.
• Kevin Claridge, Environmental Manager in the Bureau of Mine Reclamation, was appointed by Governor Bush to serve on the Board of Directors of the Florida Institute of Phosphate Research.
• Lou Neuman, Environmental Specialist III in the Bureau of Mine Reclamation, was elected to the Executive Committee of the National Association of State Land Reclamationists.
• Bahia Honda State Park is on ReserveAmerica’s annual list of “Top 100 Family Campgrounds,” honoring parks that excel in family-friendly services.
• Caladesi Island State Park was named one of the top four beaches in America in the 2005 “Best Beaches” survey authored by coastal geologist Dr. Stephen Leatherman (“Dr. Beach”) of Florida International University. This year’s list was unveiled during an interview with Dr. Leatherman for the Today Show, filmed at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, which was also named one of America’s best.
• Take Pride in Florida and the DEP were recognized as a Take Pride in America National Award winner by Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and Take Pride in America Executive Director Marti Allbright for their efforts after last year’s hurricane season, drawing hundreds of volunteers to more than 100 state parks, preserves and forests statewide in a single day.
• The Northwest District’s Drinking Water Program received an Excellent rating by Division of Water Resource Management at July 2005 Drinking Water Program's Annual Meeting for program reviews conducted during 2003.
• Kathleen Kelso, Assistant Park Manager at Talbot Islands State Parks, was recognized as the recipient of the 2005 Joe Kenner Award for Interpreter of the Year, honoring her for interpretive programming, which is a key initiative of the Florida Park Service.
• Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway and the Blackwater Heritage State Trail were honored as first place winners of the Best Greenway/Trail category in the Tenth Annual Best of Florida Awards, as featured in the September 2005 issue of Florida Monthly.
• The 2005 Florida Rural Water Association Special Recognition Award was presented to the Central District's Patrick Farris for dedicated and outstanding support of public wastewater systems.
• The Florida Park Service received Media Excellence awards from the Florida Recreations and Park Association for the Florida State Parks Online Park Guide, Florida State Parks Suwannee River CD, Florida State Parks Passport Book and Florida State Parks Guide magazine.
• The DEP-supported documentary Living Waters: Aquatic Preserves of Florida was honored with both a Crystal Reel Award for “Best Cinematography 2005” from the Florida Motion Picture and Television Association and a Flagler Award at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism.
• The 31-member Topsail Hill Hurricane Ivan Recovery Team was honored with a Davis Productivity Award for their efforts to reopen Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. The team worked 1,141 hours, generated $54,686 by opening the park to the public within seven days after the storm and saved the state close to $47,000 by accomplishing the work in-house.
• A Davis Productivity Award was given to Phillip Werndli and Jennifer Paul for their Citizen Support Organization Accountability Project, which created new financial management reporting and operational review procedures for the oversight of agency citizen support organizations (CSOs).
• Blackwater Heritage Trail received Milton Garden Club’s Community Pride Award for Best Native Landscaping on Public Property in November 2005.
• The 2004 Florida Folk Festival was presented with a Flagler Award for the best special event at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism.
• Blue Spring State Park was chosen by Florida Monthly magazine as the best place to view manatees.
• Jeff Lockwood, P.E., from DEP’s Division of Waste Management, was granted board certification in the specialty of Hazardous Waste Management by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers.
• Jim Cason received a Certificate of Excellence from the Department of Defense for his exemplary performance and professional manner in which he worked on cleanup issues with military installations in Florida.
• Michael Self, an Environmental Consultant in the Southeast District, has reached Certified in Homeland Security (CHS) Level V by the American College of Forensic Examiners International. CHS-Level V, the highest level within this national certification, was conferred to Michael as a result of his completing extensive training and comprehensive testing this past September.
• Bruce Offord in the Southeast District received the Vision for the Future Award from South Florida Commuter Services for his outstanding Transportation Demand Management efforts. Bruce regularly initiates contests with his co-workers and employees at other agencies on different ways to commute to work, and in May, he helped organize Lake Worth's Biketown USA event.
• DEP’s Office of Greenways & Trails Hurricane Recovery Team was honored with a Davis Productivity Award.