Miami-Dade County remains committed to maintaining a delicate balance between urban growth and environmental protection. In 2003, the County continued programs such as the Adopt-A-Tree and Baynanza bay cleanup efforts to ensure a healthy environment for our community. Furthermore, the Miami-Dade Police Department, in coordination with the State Attorney’s Office, implemented a community service program to address issues associated with litter control and trash removal in areas that were heavily burdened by illegal dumping and where resources are limited and often unavailable.
The Cooperative Extension Division of the Consumer Services Department (CSD) provided training for 2,400 agriculture producers relating to production, irrigation management and pesticide use.
As of October of 2003, Unincorporated Miami-Dade County residents began receiving a total of $12 million in savings off their flood insurance policies thanks to the community awareness programs and other actions taken by the Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) and County staff under the Community Rating System (CRS) of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
The Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) hosted the 21st Annual Baynanza, promoting environmental awareness through events and activities in the month of April. The Biscayne Bay Cleanup Day was the largest event, which brought in more than 6000 participants, to collect more than nine tons of debris from 28 sites on Biscayne Bay.
DERM’s Artificial Reef Program expanded this year by deploying two new ships off Biscayne Bay – the «Princess Britney» was sunk on April 29th and the «DEMA Trader» was sunk on October 28th.
The Project Cooperation Agreement between the US Army Corps of Engineers and Miami-Dade County for dredging the Miami River was completed.
DERM’s 10th Annual Environmental Essentials Workshop united more than 200 local business people and government officials to discuss safe and profitable environmental choices.
