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TALLAHASSEE—At the Florida Wildlife Federation’s 70th Annual Conservation Awards Banquet, to be held June 23, 2007, at the Holiday Inn Harbourside, Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, outstanding Florida conservationists will be recognized for their work in 2007. The Federation’s annual selection of noteworthy conservationists is one of the oldest in the state. Award winners are selected from nominations made to the Federation’s board of directors and are chosen for their dedicated efforts on behalf of Florida’s fish and wildlife and native habitats. For his laudable efforts to save the Apalachicola River, the Florida Wildlife Federation is proud to award Congressman Allen Boyd with the Special River Advocate of the Year Award for 2007.
“I am so honored to receive the Special River Advocate of the Year Award from the Florida Wildlife Federation,” said Congressman Boyd. “Since I’ve been in Congress, I have been working to end dredging along the Apalachicola River, and the Florida Wildlife Federation has been a tireless ally and advocate in this effort. I appreciate all that the Florida Wildlife Federation does for our great state, and I look forward to working with them in the future so that we can end the dredging of the Apalachicola River permanently and begin restoring the river to its natural habitat and beauty.”
Elected to the U. S. House of Representatives in 1996, Allen Boyd represents the largest geographical congressional district in Florida. He has championed fiscal responsibility and the reduction of the federal debt. He has also been a staunch advocate of the Veterans of the Armed Forces, the American farmer, as well as a supporter of hunting and fishing. Congressman Boyd has also supported the acquisition of Pinhook Swamp for many years.
Congressman Boyd has been a leading proponent for the proper management of the Apalachicola River which bisects the Florida Panhandle. The headwaters of the Apalachicola originate in north Georgia as the Chattahoochee River which runs through Atlanta and as the Flint River just south of Atlanta. Water use by this city and by other interests downstream has led to years of litigation and conflict over water allocation. Adequate clean water is especially critical to sustain the biodiversity of the Apalachicola river floodplain and the survival of the seafood industry and Apalachicola Bay. Boyd’s interest in the river is a strong reminder that good economic policies are often times a component of good long-term environmental policies.
In addition to water allocation problems, the Apalachicola River has been dredged in an effort to maintain a federally authorized channel to facilitate the movement of barge traffic. Since 1957, dredging has created huge sand piles and caused the degradation of floodplains to the detriment of fish and wildlife – all for a small number of commercial barges. To stop the economically infeasible and environmentally destructive dredging, Representative Boyd used his position to restrict funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), which performed the dredging. Not only was the cessation of dredging beneficial to the environment, but to the taxpayers as well. Boyd’s action has prevented dredging for the past six years and aided the State of Florida in its denial of the COE permit.
Congressman Boyd continues to help protect the Apalachicola by supporting the Restore the Apalachicola River Ecosystem (RARE) Act and by ensuring that the Corps of Engineers takes into consideration the environmental ramifications of its actions on the river. Additionally, his advocacy has resulted in a certified laboratory in the City of Apalachicola which tests oysters and thereby facilitates the health of the consumer and the industry.
For further information regarding the Florida Wildlife Federation Conservation Awards program, please contact Diane Hines at (850) 656-7113.
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