by Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
“Florida’s biggest challenge is the environment,” said State Sen. Jim King. “We’re throwing money at it and it’s too little too late.”
King gave the keynote address at Florida Coastal School of Law’s 7th annual environmental summit Friday. The summit’s focus was “Preserving Our Natural Resources for Future Generations.”
Property Appraiser Jim Overton was the featured speaker. His focus was on trying to find a shared vision for the City of Jacksonville and the St. Johns River. Overton is chair of the River Dance Committee Report, a group that is trying to bring a unified voice to improve public access to the St. Johns River and to protect the river while doing so.
“It’s clear Jacksonville is a remarkable city and it’s becoming better. Yet the St. Johns River is not the heart and it remains an unpolished gem,” said Overton. “The residents of Jacksonville are far too uninformed. The St. Johns River is the reason Jacksonville exists.”
The environmental summit centered around coastal ecology, the ocean, wilderness, the impact hurricanes and beach driving have on the shores and the water quality challenges Florida faces concerning the waterways and natural resources.
The summit was presented by the Florida Coastal School of Law Center for Law & Public Policy, the Environmental Law Community Action Team (ELCAT) and Jacksonville University at the Davis College of Business.