Drew Martin's Letter to the Editor

Letters to the Editor
PB Post
July 10, 2010

Why risk environment for short-term benefit?

Florida's environment is crucial to its economy. Our coasts alone provide a $65 billion benefit . Yet we are constantly at conflict with those who insist on sacrificing our environment to benefit short-term economic needs that have long-term negative consequences.

Clearly Floridians realize that offshore oil drilling is not worth the risks. Rock mining is another example of a poorly regulated industry that has the potential for long-term ecological damage. Rock mining blasts into sensitive limestone surface layers, opening up the aquifer to contamination. At the same time it brings to the surface briny substrata that can contaminate surface water and plants. This contamination cannot be contained on site as DEP seems to pretend.

DREW MARTIN

Editor's Note: The Post edited out Mr. Martin's support of Amendment 4. We are trying to obtain a copy of the original letter that was submitted to the Palm Beach Post.