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FWEA Chapter Corner: Biscayne Bay Recovery: Challenges and Opportunities—
Welcome to the FWEA Chapter Corner! The Member Relations Committee of the Florida Water EnvironmentvAssociation hosts this article to celebrate the success of recent association chapter activities and inform members of upcoming events. To have information included for your chapter, send details to Melody Gonzalez at gonzalezm@bv.com.
Melody Gonzalez
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Melody Gonzalez
On April 14, 2021, the South Florida Chapter of FWEA had the pleasure of hosting a seminar series for our membership, with the main event being a presentation from Irela Bagué, Miami-Dade County’s chief bay officer (CBO).
Ms. Bagué is the first person in the county to hold this position, directly appointed by Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava. The CBO focuses on water quality issues, policies, and appropriations related to the health and recovery of Biscayne Bay. She acts as an advisor to the county mayor and county commission and is a liaison with county departments and boards; external agencies; stakeholder groups; and local, state, and federal governments on water quality issues, policies, and appropriations related to the health and recovery of Biscayne Bay.
The main priorities of this newly formed office are to support the county to move forward on projects in areas that show the highest levels of nutrient pollution for the Biscayne Bay area: S Septic-to-sewer conversion S Wastewater and stormwater improvements S Restoration of coastal habitats S Improve public education on the importance of restoring Biscayne Bay and report on progress
In this presentation, the focus was to discuss the latest developments from the Biscayne Bay Task Force, including the key findings from the recent report issued by this group in August 2020. The task force was created in 2019 and consisted of nine members (a blend of professionals and the community at large) who evaluated available information, such as prior studies and reports, as well as relevant date related to Biscayne Bay, and made detailed analyses on how various issues may affect residents and property owners. The task force was unseated in August 2020.
The task force recommendations addressed the areas within the watershed with the most-significant water quality issues, based on the currently available water quality data, resources, and existing funding sources. They also emphasized infrastructure recommendations that will not only help restore the watershed, but can provide a path toward economic recovery and help the county get back to work postpandemic.
Ms. Bagué emphasized the collaborative approach that is needed among multiple stakeholders to achieve viable mid- and long-term results. She discussed in detail the specific steps that have been put in place
following the task force recommendations, such as: S Biscayne Bay Annual Report Card
Program S Plan of action for septic-to-sewer conversion S $20 million state and county partnership for the preservation and restoration of the bay S Her appointment as CBO to boost efforts to continue the implementation of priority projects and water quality improvements
After the presentation, a question and answer session was held to address multiple inquiries from the attendees, and Ms. Bagué provided her contact information for further discussion with interested parties. She also highlighted the opportunities presented for our local universities, such as Florida International University, and local businesses to foster innovation and produce viable solutions to address the multiple issues that affect the bay.
In her final remarks, Ms. Bagué indicated that, “Our activities matter when it comes to the environment; we know that what happens on the land ends up in our bay. The Biscayne Bay Task Force report provides our leaders information to help begin to restore Biscayne Bay and make cleaner, more sustainable choices for residents and visitors alike.”
If you would like more information about the Biscayne Bay Task Force, or the chief bay office of the county, feel free to reach out to me at GonzalezM@bv.com or directly to Irela Bagué at ChiefBayOfficer@miamidade.gov.
Melody Gonzalez, E.I., is a civil engineer with Black & Veatch in Miami and is secretary/ contact for the South Florida Chapter FWEA. S
