County Participates in Roundtable Discussion With the Florida Department of Environmental Protection

3/21/18 @ 2:20 p.m. - Nassau County Policy Planner Adrienne Burke was invited to participate in a roundtable discussion with Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Noah Valenstein last week. Secretary Valenstein has been conducting sessions around the state to talk with stakeholders around coastal resiliency and sea level rise. This visit in Jacksonville included representatives from local governments in Northeast Florida, the Northeast Florida Regional Council, St. John's Riverkeeper, Audubon Florida, U.S. Green Building Council, Jacksonville University, Jacksonville Port Authority, and the DuPont Fund. Planner Jacob Platt with the City of Fernandina Beach also attended the meeting.


At the roundtable, Secretary Valenstein gave a brief introduction about his vision and goals for the DEP. Attendees were invited to give their perspectives on issues such as water quality, wildlife, flooding, sea level rise, land acquisition through Florida Forever and ways the DEP can engage with local communities. The group discussed the challenges and opportunities facing communities in the region and across Northeast Florida as it relates to environmental protection. Secretary Valenstein and the DEP will be conducting follow up sessions as his Department works to increase community outreach.


-Adrienne Burke
 Department of Planning & Economic Opportunity