ANNA MARIA – A final city commission vote on a $50,000 funding request for proposed clam and seagrass restoration projects is expected on Thursday, March 24.
During the Anna Maria City Commission’s March 10 meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy said he expects to receive by Friday, March 18 a final, formal written proposal from local restaurateur, businessman and environmental activist Ed Chiles and the group that includes representatives from the Gulf Shellfish Institute, The Diatom Initiative and Sea & Shoreline.
The group seeking the funds believes the projects would significantly improve the water quality in the offshore and inland waters where they would be conducted.
Regarding the final proposal and pending commission vote, Murphy said, “We’ve been talking about this for quite some time and it’s time to come to a conclusion.”
First presented to the commission on Jan. 13, the funding request that Chiles said could produce up to an additional $100,000 in matching funds from private donors has been met with continued opposition from Commissioner Jon Crane. Crane questions the effectiveness of clams when it comes to filtering red tide (Karenia brevis) and other harmful elements from the natural waters in which they’re placed.
The group’s original proposal called for a total of 20,000 southern hard clams and sunray Venus clams to be placed in the proposed project areas in Tampa Bay and Bimini Bay. On Jan. 26, Diatom Initiative founder and clam hatchery operator Curt Hemmel proposed placing 1-2 million southern hard clams in those waters instead, with sunray Venus clams no longer part of the proposal.
When appearing before the commission in early February, retired marine biologist Randy Edwards expressed his opposition to the expenditure of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds for a clam restoration project. Edwards’ opposition is based on his belief that clams possess limited water filtration capabilities and effectiveness.
As an alternative, Edwards recommended using $50,000 in ARP funds on a nutrient removal project that would target nitrates and phosphates from rainwater and tidal waters before they enter the water.
At the request of Commissioner Robert Kingan, the commission later discussed using the $50,000 to install additional vertical infiltration drainage trenches, but no final decision was made regarding the use of federal funds to do so.
Commissioner Deanie Sebring has expressed her continued support for the proposed restoration projects and the funding request.
The March 24 commission meeting will begin at 6 p.m.
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Anna Maria Commission discusses nutrient removal project
Marine biologist opposes clam restoration project
