President’s Report
by Craig Canning

Greetings! I trust everyone had a good vacation this summer but now it is time to get down to business! We have a myriad of issues facing us in Lauderdale Isles and we must work together as a community to get the outcomes we desire. Please consider volunteering your time on one of the following issues:

I know there are more issues out there but these 6 items are extremely important for our area. If you have another area of concern that you wish to work on please let any officer or trustee know and we will try to help you get organized. We all want our community to be a great place to live, raise a family and enjoy our canals and waterways. I’ll have a sign-up sheet at the next general meeting (September 20 at 7:30 PM at the yacht club) for each subject. Volunteering is good for the soul, please sign up!

Airport noise and expansion
Dania Beach continues to fight the expansion of the south runway at the airport so it looks like we are in for another round of court battles. The EPA has gotten into the act and is forcing the airport to reexamine their study on the wetlands and noise issues. Hopefully we will know more soon.

I-595 expansion
There will eventually be another round of DOT sponsored community meetings as regards the I-595 expansion. As soon as we know of them, Terry will get the message out via e-mail. Remember, it is never to early too early to voice our concerns and seek a noise abatement solution for our neighborhood.

Annexation
The annexation committee has met twice over the summer and is working on a draft preannexation agreement to be given to both cities. We will have a report from the committee at the general meeting in September and hope to have a finished copy of the agreement for everyone’s review in December. I hope to hold 2 special annexation meetings, one with each City to take place in January and February. Don’t forget we vote in March!

Parks, greeenways and waterways
The Riverland Woods Park now has a schedule! Broward County expects to break ground early next year and giving them a year to get everything done, we should have a new park in 2003. I believe the new Community Park (including pool) on 27th Avenue is in the final design stages and should also begin construction shortly. I have written a letter to the Ft. Lauderdale City Commission in hopes of getting them to put the Riverland Crossings greenspace at the top of their list of parcels to purchase under the Broward County $400 million Land and Parks bond. Lots of good stuff happening!

Safety Issues
There are always safety issues facing the neighborhood. We had several burglaries on Key Largo Lane and thanks to the diligence of the residents, the perpetrators have been apprehended. Living in a neighborhood having ocean access makes it a desirable place for smuggling activity. Please report any suspicious activity to the Broward Sheriff’s office. We are our own best police force.

Roscioli Boat Yard
More information regarding Roscioli Marina rezoning.  At the Town Council meeting, Thursday, September 6th, the Davie City Commission approved Roscioli’s request for a zoning change from old Hacienda Cove Code M-1 to Davie Zoning Code M-2. 

General Meeting changed
The September 20th general meeting will be our last on the third Thursday of the month. It’s a little too rowdy at the yacht club on Thursdays so we are moving our meetings to the third Tuesday of the month. Keep checking your e-mails for the list of the exact dates. Thanks!!  

How Attractive are you?
by Terry Simonds

To your spouse or significant other, I’m sure very. But I’m talking about your property and how it looks in the eyes of a thief. I’m not suggesting that we alter our lifestyle to conform to a fortress/siege mentality. However, there are a few very simple things you can do to make your property unattractive to “Harry Badguy.”

Your Carport:   By a somewhat loose definition, carport means “a place to keep your car.” Most of our carports are open to street for all to see, particularly Harry Badguy. You’re at work, your car’s gone, and there’s your weedwhacker,  leaning against the wall of the carport. “Oooo!” says Harry. And it’s gone.
The Easy Fix: Put the weedwhacker in the laundry/utility room if you have one (most of us do). If Harry can’t see it, he’ll look elsewhere. Your bicycle is an attractive prize for Harry, too. Don’t leave it where he can see it from the street. Thousands of bikes are stolen out of carports each year. Don’t add yours to the total!

Yard Work and Lunchtime  We’ve all done this! It’s the weekend and you’re working in the front yard. You’ve been running the weedwhacker around the bases of your trees and you get the call for lunch. You lean the weedwhacker against the tree and head in to clean up. Look who’s cruising the Isles in his van. It’s Harry Badguy again. He didn’t find a weedwhacker on the previous trip through because you had it in the laundry room. And there it is, leaning against the tree. Not any more, Monty! as the joke goes. And there go your hedge clippers as well.
The Easy Fix: Remove your tools from the yard when you’re going to be away from them for more than a few minutes. Try this. Time yourself the next time you go inside for a snack. Now, how long to you thing it would take Harry to purloin your yard tools? I don’t mean you should gather up everything and schlep them into the house each time your turn your back. Just be aware of what you’ve left out in plain sight. Harry is acutely aware, I guarantee!

Need Some Milk   It’s 10AM on a Thursday. You open the fridge and find no milk. Grab the keys, hop in the car, and run down to the Farm Store. Did you lock your doors? Nah, I’ll only be gone for a few minutes. And that’s all it took for someone to walk into a home on Gulfstream Lane a few months back, rifle through the bedroom, and make off with some personal property.
The Easy Fix: Lock the doors! I know. I hear you saying it—“Someone was watching the house...” You’re right. Someone probably was. But the homeowner would still have his property if he had locked his doors, wouldn’t he. During “The Great Burglary Blitz” of 2001 here in the Isles, one of our neighbor’s homes was ransacked from top to bottom and practically every small item of value was taken. How did they get in? Through a door that wasn’t locked because the owner “...never lock up because of my neighbors coming in to feed the animals while we’re at work.” Don’t give Harry a chance—give your neighbor a key...and lock up!

A Hard Day at the Office  What a rat race. I’m sure glad to be home. Gonna get into my trunks and sit in the pool with a cool one. The scene changes to tomorrow morning. Well, back to work. Hey! Someone busted out the window of my car...and my cell phone and CDs are gone.
The Easy Fix:  BSO has hundreds, nay, thousands, of reports like this. We all know to lock our vehicles when we leave them, don’t we? I did lock my car last night, but I was so tired that I left something attractive on the front seat—my cell phone. I won’t do that again! And nor should you. As Harry is slithering down your lane at 1:45 in the morning peering into cars to see what’s “on sale,” you want him to see nothing. Nothing, that is, that would tempt him to smash the window and help himself. Take it inside, put it in the console, under the seat...whatever. Just don’t let Harry see it. You do have an alarm, don’t you? Car locked?

The “Easy” House:  You’re finally able to get away to the Island of Mustique in the Caribbean for a few weeks of palling about with the glitterati. You’ve read the hints above and you’ve locked up the house tight, put the weedwhacker in the living room, and all that good stuff.  About a week after you’ve left, here comes Harry again, cruising the Isles looking for easy pickin’s. “Hello, what’s this?” he remarks. Over a week’s worth of newspapers in the yard, grass pretty high and ratty, shrubbery around the windows need trimming badly, and the mailbox overflowing with mail. “Better keep an eye on this one.” And that he does, and comes back a few nights later to a dark house. No lights inside, none outside. Hmmmm. Fifteen minutes later he’s gone. And so are many of your belongings.
The Easy Fix:  I bet you now know why Harry hit this house and not the one next door! It was obviously unoccupied. In our climate grass can grow so fast you can hear it, so get a neighbor to cut it for you. Stop the paper and your mail, or have someone pick it up for you. Leave an old pair of flip-flops or sneakers by the door as a signal that someone may be home. And install some exterior motion-sensor lights and put a few lamps inside on timers. One thing Harry hates is light. He’ll do just about anything to avoid lights, including going somewhere else! Harry got into the house by finding a window that was hidden behind the overgrown shrubbery, breaking the window, and climbing in. No one saw the broken window the next day, because it was hidden by the bushes. Keep your shrubbery trimmed near windows so that Harry hasn’t a place to hide while he’s breaking in. Another slick trick is to plant some cactus or “crown of thorns” plants under windows on the side or back. Harry hates thorns, and will probably go elsewhere!

It’s so simple to make your home look unattractive to Harry Badguy. Put yourself in his shoes again. Get in your car, drive the Isles, and see if you can spot a home that’s looks attractive to you. Remember, you’re Harry now and not Nathan Niceguy. Tonight, take a walk down your lane after dark (you’re still Harry, remember?). Could you break in there without being seen?

At the 6-11-01, 6 p.m. meeting airport noise meeting airport noise consultant Ted Baldwin indicated a temporary monitor will be installed to detect “high power nighttime noise” engine runups on the west side of the airport.  When asked if a hush house or an enclosure would be considered to mitigate this problem, he said they are too costly.  Some airports poorer than ours have such installations.

Winston  Cannicle is the new noise control officer.  He replaces long time officer Lori Kligfeld .  She is now operations manager.  You may make your complaint to Winston at 359-6181 days or 359-1200 Ex. 7 nights.  You can request a print out of the offending planes flight path, altitude etc

Herbs are one of the most satisfying plants for a gardener. They can be grown in pots, used as groundcovers or borders plus they smell good, can be used for medicinal purposes and, best of all, they enhance the flavor of our food. Most herbs tolerate Zone 10 conditions.  For those of you who like me did not know, the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area is in a Zone 10b area (meaning the average minimum temperature is 35 to 40 F. )

Herbs slip smoothly into the role of ground covers because they grow almost anywhere and don’t require the best of anything to grow rampant.  Just sunlight and benevolent neglect are all they need to look good – and be in the best of taste. Unfortunately, some herbs become weedy; however, shearing will keep them under control.

You can grow herbs in areas where other plants won’t grow or plant them among larger shrubs, or better yet, plant them near the kitchen door where they are handy for cooking or for just enjoying the aromas.

Local plant and food stores usually have a limited selection of herbs.  Garden catalogs carry a wider variety.  Would you believe Burpee has 10 types of basil.  However, many herb plants are shipped only in the spring.

This spring I planted basil, dill, parsley, spearmint, and Italian oregano near my kitchen door.

Terry Simonds gave me the following e-address: www.floridata.com that has a great section about attracting butterflies and other Florida flora.  Two commercial sites are www.msn.com, the garden section, and www.burpee.com which contains a wealth of information, including The Burpee Garden School.  I assure you, you will be impressed with the Burpee (as in seeds, etc.) site. 

Until next “thyme.” How does your garden grow?  

The Safety and Security Corner
by Ray Figueroa

Having been a high school teacher for a good part of my life, I can tell you that one of the
rites of passage for a fifteen year old is to get their learner’s permit to drive.  They study that DOT handbook more than any textbook, so they can pass that test and get their permit.  Any fifteen year old can tell you what you are supposed to do when you come to a stop sign.  Unfortunately, a lot of teenagers and more adults don’t do what you are supposed to do at stop signs.  We are all guilty of this, myself included.  We do the “rolling” stop, we stop a half a car length past the sign, we are partly in the intersection, and we don’t always carefully look both ways before proceeding.

The point of this article is that we really need to do what you are supposed to do on the lanes in the Isles where your vision is obstructed as you approach Riverland Road.  (You should do it anyway even if your vision isn’t obstructed!)  With the new sidewalks we are getting more bikers, roller bladers and pedestrians.  The foliage and landscaping at the corner of some lanes does not allow you to see well ahead of time who is coming on the side walk to your right as you approach Riverland.  If you run right up to Riverland before stopping you may well meet a bike or skater right at the moment they are crossing the street.  Bikers, skaters and pedestrians do have the right of way at these crosswalks.

I bring this up because the scenario described above is exactly what happened to me.  I was going west on  the sidewalk on my bike at one of those blind corners when I met a black F-150 late model pickup.  He arrived at the corner a shade before I did and I ran into his right front fender.  If he had arrived a split second earlier I would have been on his hood or windshield.  The driver probably thought he had killed me.  His face was white.  When I picked myself up and did some damage assessment, I found I was ok.

A few bumps and bruises, the handle bar on the bike was a little twisted, the F-150 had a new palm sized dent in the shiny black fender.  The gentle man apologized profusely and asked many times if I was ok.  I walked the bike home and thought about what had just happened and I’m sure the other person did also.

The law says that you must stop your vehicle at or before the stop sign.  No part of the vehicle should be past the sign.  The law also says that if your vision is obstructed where you properly stopped, you may slowly creep up after you stop to where you can see before proceeding.  I think this is one law that really makes sense, especially at blind corners with sidewalks.  Think of stopping at that stop sign just as you would be expected to stop before the  pedestrian crosswalk on a red light at the intersection of Andrews Av. and Broward Blvd.  There should be a white lines painted on the pavement to show where to stop but they have probably been obscured over time.     

As for us bikers, skaters and walkers, don’t take for granted that we do have the right of way.  Drivers approaching Riverland don’t see us, see and ignore us or are distracted. 

Even if you have the right of way;  ride, skate and walk defensively.  They are much larger than we are!  What good is it to be right and be in the hospital?  ( Unless you are looking to sue some one. )

According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety  Administration, the three most frequent causes of car/bicycle crashes were:

Motorist turning or merging into the path of a bicyclist (12.1 percent of all crashes). Almost half (48.8 percent) of these crashes involved a motorist making a left turn in front of a bicyclist approaching from the opposite direction.

Motorist overtaking a bicyclist (8.6 percent of all crashes). Of these crashes, 23 percent appeared to involve a motorist who misjudged the space required to safely pass the bicyclist.

A Cooperative Effort of Broward County DPEP, Broward County Libraries, Lighthouse Point Library, Wheelabrator, Publix Grocery Stores, Plantation General Hospital, and Superior Special Services. 

Broward County's Department of Planning and Environmental Protection (DPEP) is celebrating National Pollution Prevention Week from September 16 - 22, 2001. The idea of Pollution Prevention (P2) is to prevent the creation of waste. As part of the celebration, DPEP will conduct a mercury thermometer exchange for the public. This event provides an educational opportunity to demonstrate the concepts of P2 to the residents of Broward County. The thermometers, provided by Broward County, are digital and are much safer for the environment than their mercury counterparts. 

DPEP is raising the public's awareness of mercury because mercury has been found in the tissue of Florida fish and other wildlife like the Florida Panther. It is also estimated that one-third of the mercury entering the atmosphere originates from the incineration of mercury-containing products disposed of in the trash. Although mercury thermometers are not harmful when used properly, they pose a threat to human health and the environment when broken or disposed of as trash. Non-mercury thermometers provide an excellent means to make simple adjustments in our behavior and prevent pollution from reaching Florida's fragile environment. 

To participate, bring your mercury thermometers in the original case or wrapped in tissue, placed in a sturdy box, and enclosed in a zip lock bag to a location listed below. Supplies are limited, and only one mercury-free thermometer will be given per household. However, there are no limits on the number of mercury thermometers that can be turned in for proper disposal. 

Exchange Locations:

             Broward County Main Library
            100 S. Andrews Avenue
            Ft Lauderdale, FL 33301         357-7444

             Broward County North Regional/BCC Library
            1100 Coconut Creek Blvd.
            Coconut Creek, FL 33066        969-2600

             Broward County South Regional/BCC Library
            7300 Pines Blvd.
            Pembroke Pines, FL 33024      963-8825

             Broward County Southwest Regional Library 
            16835 Sheridan Street
            Pembroke Pines, FL 33331       538-9996

             Broward County West Regional Library
            8601 West Broward Blvd.
            Plantation, FL 33324               831-3300

             Broward County Northwest Regional Library
            3151 University Drive
            Coral Springs, FL 33065         341-3900

             Lighthouse Point Library
            2200 NE 38 St
            Lighthouse Point, FL  33064   946-6398

             Plantation General Hospital
            401 NW 42 Avenue
            Plantation, FL 33317              587-5010 ext 6220

 Please call Kay Sommers at (954) 519-1257 or the hotline at (954) 519-1243 or view our web site at www.broward.org/mercury for more information.

  Broward County Rewards Businesses that Protect the Environment  

Annexation Antics
by George Counts

The Annexation Committee has started meeting again after a long lapse.  LICIA President, Craig Canning, is trying to remain neutral until Isles residents participate in an ultra limited vote.  You get to decide which city you would like to be forced into Ft. Lauderdale or Dania.  Allowing voters a third choice on whether they would like to remain unincorporated is too democratic for rah rah annexationists who can't wait to solve all the county's problems with this new urban wonder drug.

Like to be on a committee examining issues that will affect you such as taxes, police, fire, utilities, waterways, zoning ?  Call Pete Sheridan at 581-0816 for the next meeting time and place.

Thank You!
by Ray Figueroa

We would like to thank Roberta Shaw and her husband (sorry, don’t know his name), who
live on Whale Harbor Lane. They took the initiative to trim the branches and shrubbery that were overhanging the sidewalk/path that is on the South side of Riverland Road. They did this on their own, over a period of a few days, and trimmed the walk from the school to the Farm Store.

All of us who use this walk really appreciate this volunteer effort.  If there are other people in the neighborhood who are doing things like this, they should be recognized and mention of them and their good deed should be put in the Newsletter.  

Riverland Woods Update
by Joan Sheridan

The following information is an estimated optimistic time schedule for Riverland Woods that
was approved by Bob Wright, Planning and Design Superintendent for Broward County Parks and Recreation.

1. Design in house, Construction Drawing. Apply for permits.  Approximately 3 months.

2. Development Review. Approximately 2 months.

3. Advertise for bids.  Bidding review and reward of contract.  Approximately 5 months.

4. Construction target date, March 2002 (barring no complications).  Takes approximately 5 months to build.

As per my telephone conversation with Bob Harbin, Director for Parks and Recreation the above is an optimistic estimate for the development of Riverland Woods Park. County staff is doing this in house. Going through all the proper design, permitting and departments necessary to finalize and complete the job; will take time. 

There’s never been a pipeline that didn’t leak. Some even have multiple explosions.  Thousands of gallons of pollutants are released before Best Management Practices take effect.   Technology still has quite a way to go despite P.R. releases to the contrary.

Aren’t we lucky, another group of “obnoxious use” site locaters have zeroed in on our backyard to firm up their client’s bottom line. Yup, some Texas oil companies want to plant a two foot natural gas pipeline along the I-595 right-of-way. It will be just south of 8 lanes of often bumper to bumper traffic.  You think the closing of the bridge on 84 has been a problem?  Try and imagine what it will be like if pipeline construction is allowed here, or when it has multiple malfunctions.

This could have far reaching consequences for our neighborhood As pipelines get larger and larger, there is exponential growth in their spill contamination and/or explosions. Our port is the deepest in Florida and has deep water leading up to it.  As a result, there is rarely an oil spill there, much less a  grounding.

Enron Corp, which has had its problems in North Broward, is hoping South Broward will be more receptive. They recently filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulation Commission.  Page 8 of the Ag 13, 2001 “ Business Week” points out its executives are “California’s Most Wanted Honchos.” They fear arrest if they set foot there. A California Senate Committee is investigating electricity price gouging. In 1983 the Supreme Court gave pipeline companies discretion to increase rates, costing consumer’s billions.

The August 10, 2001, Oil Daily  indicated a third worker died from an explosion at one of Enron’s gas fired plants in England and had to be shut down. The incinerator near the proposed pipeline is co-fired with natural gas.  Just think what I-595 or 84 would be like if several blocks of roadway had to be shut down to scoop out tons of contaminated dirt and sand due to a pipeline leak or explosion.  Eight hundred Soviets were killed or missing near a transportation corridor in the Urals after a pipeline exploded The leaking of millions of gallons isn’t unusual before computer warning signals react and workers are able to respond.

Cleaning up the Pond Apple Slough or aquifer wouldn’t be easy if it could be done at all.   This pipeline could be converted to oil later, with revenues that now go to offset the Port’s costs going to a private pipeline company.  Port job losses would be another story.  A local paper reported in 1983 an underground pipeline in Pennsylvania. made a jet engine-like noise audible for 10 minutes.  Imagine how much product leaked out in that time. Those proposing this gigantic pipeline are pointing out that no one is objecting   For some reason these projects have a way of being proposed when most people are on vacation.  

George is in the Spotlight!

This issue’s spotlight is on George Counts. George has been a resident of the Isles for thirty years and has been active in the civic association from the first. He has served the Isles in many capacities and still plays a vital role in the community.

George was born in Welch, West Virginia not far from Frog Level, Hogpen Hollow and the Mason-Dixon line. His house hung off the side of a mountain and the floor of the back porch was 75 feet from the coal-blackened and sewage tainted river below. His first six years of school were in a one room schoolhouse  with 1/8 inch of coal dust on the playground and a pot-belly stove for heat. After a stint in the navy, he moved to rural North Carolina’s cotton, tobacco and peanut country. The town was so small that some years there were enough players for a 12 man varsity football team but some years they made do with just a six man team.

George discovers Florida and moves to the Isles
George discovered Florida and his love of the water during spring break from college. He went to Daytona Beach where he took a job on the 106 foot, John Wells designed yacht, Sunrise.  It belonged to restaurant chain owner Charles Creighton who was building the Sunrise Shopping Center. Executives from Jordan-Marsh and others were taken out on cruises periodically to discuss how their plans for moving to the shopping center were coming along. George worked for Chris-Craft and several other boat builders before completing his education at FAU.  He taught high school for many years. 

George and his family moved to the Isles in March of ’71. His daughter, Brooke, was 7 and his son, Ralph, was 8. Brooke went to Stephen Foster and Ralph to Nova.  George still has a map of Ft. Lauderdale with pictures of the waterfront homes in the new neighborhood of Lauderdale Isles. Former Chicagoan and Seabee Bob Gill developed  the Isles on the site of an orange grove. The sales office was at 2418 Flamingo Lane and advertised  “Delightfully Different” waterfront tri-Levels with double carports for $15, 250.  One salaried salesman quickly sold practically every home in the Isles. Most of the homes were on deep water, fishing was good and the kids could hunt in what is now Plantation.  Much of the fill from our canals went to build the parking lot north of Gill’s Yankee Clipper hotel. Deed restrictions in effect then were modeled after those in Sea Ranch Lakes. The New River Marina was a tourist attraction known as Aqua Glades featuring alligators, birds and other wildlife. George soon became Nassau’s Lane Captain and served as civic association President for about a decade.  Retired now, he is fitting out his sailboat for island cruising.

Founded the Marine Historical Society
He founded and Chairs the Marine Historical Society which  meets at 7:30 p.m. first Thursdays, except during the summers, at the Port Everglades auditorium, 1850 Eller Drive.

 His latest project is trying to bring a Maritime Museum to Ft. Lauderdale.  He and former Ft. Lauderdale Mayor and marina owner Bob Cox and several others have formed a committee to do this. The old downtown post office at 330 SW 2nd St. on Riverwalk is the preferred site.  He feels there is need to further convince our leaders of the importance of promoting our marine industry and enhancing the downtown and Riverwalk with another tourist destination. If you can afford a donation of money or time, have museum quality ship models or marine artifacts and are interested in maritime technology and history, give George a call at 954-584-4926.

South Florida’s Coral Reefs in Crisis
by Kay Sommers (DPEP)

Coral reefs, or “rain forests of the sea,” are dying at an alarming rate. Now, South Florida has become “ground zero” in the global battle to save these undersea cities, believed to be vital to most of the world’s fish and sea creatures.

Why should South Floridians be concerned about the coral crisis? Currently, researchers are discovering amazing new medical and scientific benefits to coral. Conservationists are imploring that saving the coral is simply the right thing to do. In addition, coral is a key component of South Florida’s billion-dollar tourism industry. So, be it for scientific, environmental or business reasons, the coral reef crisis is an issue that affects the entire community. 

Florida Artificial Reef Summit

For the past thirteen years the State of Florida has sponsored reef summits for the purpose of bringing together artificial reef coordinators throughout the state to discuss a variety of issues relating to artificial reef legislation, construction, and management.  Highlights from these sessions included changes in reef materials used, funding sources, and recognition of the importance of measuring the effectiveness of the artificial reef program. 

The Department of Planning and Environmental Protection, Nova Southeastern University, Sea Grant and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will host the 2001 Florida Artificial Reef Summit, to be held in the greater Fort Lauderdale from October 17 -20, 2001.  This will be the fifth statewide conference on artificial reefs and will encompass artificial reef legislation, technology and monitoring.  Previous conferences were held in Miami (1987), Tallahassee (1990 & 1993) and in Palm Beach County (1998).  Federal, state, and local government representatives as well as scientist, researchers, regulators, program managers and others from around the state will attend.

Broward’s Artificial Reef Program will be used as a model for illustrating  the changing role of artificial reef construction and monitoring for reef managers in Florida.  This opportunity will allow Broward County to showcase new projects, A Socio-Economic Study of Reef Resources in Southeast Florida and the Florida Keys, nearshore hardbottom habitat mitigation, and monitoring artificial reefs for functionality to provide statewide recognition and exposure for their artificial reef program efforts.  For more information about the Artificial Reef Summit, contact Pamela Fletcher at 954.519.1218, or pfletcher@broward.org.

Broward Lab Investigates County Parks Playgrounds for Toxics
by Kay Sommers (Dpep) Department of planning and environmental protection

In April, the Environmental Monitoring Division (EMD) of Broward County DPEP partnered with two other county offices to address concerns about toxic chemicals in playgrounds.  EMD worked with Risk Management and Parks and Recreation in an extensive study evaluating playground and play area sand for the presence of chromium, copper, and arsenic.

Most pressure-treated lumber is infused with chromated copper arsenate, or CCA, a pesticide containing arsenic. The Environmental Protection Agency banned most arsenic pesticides years ago but made an exception for pressure-treated wood.  The wood industry says its studies show that the wood is safe.  Other researchers are not sure whether contact with arsenic leaking out of posts and boards is hazardous to humans. Scientists do not have a handle on the risk factor, or what would constitute a hazardous exposure level. The consensus, however, is that it makes sense to reduce exposure.

EMD trained Risk Management staff in the collection of soil samples.  They then gathered fifty-four playground sand samples from twenty-six Broward County Parks (both regional and neighborhood).  Most play area equipment in Broward County parks is constructed of steel and surrounded by a poured foam material.  Some parks  have had pressure-treated wood play structures in the past. All sand existing in play areas in the parks was sampled to evaluate potential risk.

All sampling, analysis, and reporting were done in an expeditious manner leading to a quick removal and replacement of the play ground sand in the concerned areas.

Thanks to all Risk Management, Parks and Recreation, and EMD staff members who made this study a high priority.

For additional information, contact Bill Barto at (954) 519-1212.