5-A Identifying Local Opportunities
5-A Identifying Local Opportunities
1. Title: “‘Blue
Roof’ help site not available yet; Those eligible must submit paperwork for government aid”
Summary:
This article addresses those homeowners or permanent renters who were
affected by Hurricane Irma in Palm Beach County and whose roofs have less than
50% structural damage. It states that they are eligible for federal Operation
Blue Roof assistance.
Problem:
The problem is that the website to apply for such assistance is not yet functional
and therefore those who wish to apply must do so in person at a designated
location. Unfortunately, there is no location within Palm Beach County.
Who
has the problem: Those who have structural damage to their roofs and need
federal assistance to fix the damage must travel to one of the designated
locations to fill out a form. The nearest locations are in Homestead, Naples,
Immokalee, and Fort Myers, which are all at least a few hours away.
2. Title: Irma
left 2 years of debris to haul Clearing of Irma debris in Palm Beach County
could take three months; County says it may take three months to clear 3
million cubic yards
Summary:
The county of Palm Beach is trying to find a way to get all the debris left
from Hurricane Irma picked up and disposed of. The Solid Waste Authority has
issued statements that they have enlisted extra help from three outside
companies. There is so much vegetation debris that it’s going to take time
before it all gets picked up. The residents of the county are growing
frustrated with the situation.
Problem:
The Solid Waste Authority does not have enough manpower to clean up the
debris from Hurricane Irma on their own. Florida is still considered in a state
of emergency, with many people still without power, so many resources are going
toward those counties with more need. Therefore, more minor issues, such as
debris clean up, are being left for last.
Who
has the problem:
Residents of Palm Beach County who have to deal with the debris pile-ups on
their property or within their community. Also, the SWA has a problem with
being short staffed in this particular county, due to being needed in more
affected counties.
3. Title: West
Palm sues feds for OK’ing extension of SR 7; Road-widening violates many
environmental laws, city contends
Summary:
The city of West Palm Beach has decided to sue multiple federal agencies to
fight the widening and extension of State Road 7. Their claims are that the
construction of the road violates many environmental laws. According to the
city, it would displace endangered species, disrupt run-off quality, allow for
direct and indirect destruction of protected wetlands, and affect the quality
of the surrounding waters. The federal agencies claim they have added
environmentally friendly features to the construction plans. They also claim
that this project would be an invaluable asset for the city during hurricane
evacuations. The city disagrees and plans on continuing their efforts to
prevent the construction from ever beginning.
Problem:
The problem is that the city is spending a lot of money and time trying to
fight this project and now has to resort to legal help. If what the city says were
true, then a major problem would be the environmental one. If the construction
violates environmental laws, it should be stopped. However, if what the federal
agencies says is true and they have environmental protections within the
construction plan, then the problem would be that the construction hasn’t taken
place. The extra road space could have been useful for the recent evacuation
due to Hurricane Irma.
Who
has the problem: Both the city and the federal agencies have
the problem until a decision has been made to go ahead with construction or
not. If construction does get approved, the city and the surrounding
environment and species will inherit the problem. If construction does not get
approved, the residents of West Palm Beach will feel the problem in the case of
another evacuation.
4. Title: Florida agriculture losses widespread, billions in
damage; Downed poles, standing water among the issues
Summary: Due to Hurricane Irma, the agriculture industry in Florida
has suffered unimaginable damage and loss. Florida has many crops that are
essential to the states economy. Agricultural fields all over the state were
affected. Many have issues such as downed shade houses, broken fencing and
sprinkler systems, and damaged trees. Among the worst issue is standing water.
So much water has accumulated from the storm that could kill all the plants in
the area within a few days if the water is not properly drained. The damage is
considered to be in the billions. Palm Beach County is responsible for the most
agricultural output and Irma has hit the county fairly hard.
Problem: There are numerous problems here. First, the loss of
agriculture. This loss will affect the economy of the state, as there will be
less production and less to sell as the farms try to recuperate their crops.
Agriculture, specifically citrus fruits, is an essential market for the state
of Florida. Second, the farmers will need to reevaluate their crops and remove
the damaged portions and begin regrowth. This task will be very time consuming
and expensive. Third, this setback will affect product availability in stores
and restaurants.
5. Title: County gas prices leap to highest of year
Summary: Gas prices in Palm Beach County have risen to the highest
rate since 2014 prices. The state of Florida receives most of its gasoline from
Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Due to the impact from Hurricane Harvey,
many of these refineries are shut down and/or damaged. This is the cause for
the increase in price. Despite this, there is no shortage in gas as the state
has a surplus of winter blend gasoline.
Problem: Since these refineries in Texas have been affected from
Harvey and are not working at full capacity, the gas prices for all states that receive
Texan gasoline are steadily increasing.
Shannon, this assignment made me realize how we have so much information available to us, but often we are out of touch with what is happening around us. I often heard the theory that being on social media excessively actually causes people to be less “connected” because they avoid the personal interactions that are present and are active on social media instead!
ReplyDelete-L
It’s crazy to see how much of an impact a hurricane has. It’s not only the houses and businesses that see a change. I found the article about the effects on the agriculture to be very interesting. I for one didn’t even think about that when the hurricane was coming through our area. The change I was highly aware of was the gas prices going up. It’s amazing how much all these places use the situation to make more money. I understand the shortage but the shortage was temporary until the gas trucks were able to drive back down here. I noticed how quickly all these gas stations had gas the moment the storm had cleared out of the area.
ReplyDeleteShannon,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading the articles that you talked about, it was really cool to see how Hurricane Irma affected people in so many different ways. Both being in Florida for Irma and having family in South Florida that was affected, I was really able to relate to a lot of the things you were saying. Usually reading about articles is boring but you did a really good job of keeping it interesting, nice job!