5/15/2012

South Florida Cuts Water Use by 20 Percent

By CURTIS MORGAN

South Florida has suffered through some dreary declines of late — home values, paychecks and the Miami Dolphins, for instance. But in the case of the public thirst for one precious commodity — fresh water — the decline has actually turned into a major money-saving plus.

The 53 water utilities serving Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties pumped about 83 million fewer gallons a day in 2010 than they did in 2000 — despite a population that grew by some 600,000 over the decade — according to a new draft analysis produced by the South Florida Water Management District.

Do the math and it adds up to South Floridians using about 20 percent less water each day for drinking, bathing and sprinkling yards per person than they did a decade ago. That’s about 30 billion gallons over the course of a year, enough unused water to fill 45,900 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

It’s an unexpected but entirely welcome drop-off in public demand in a region that only a decade ago was worried about taps running dry in relentlessly sprawling suburbs.

“It’s not a surprise that it went down,’’ said Mark Elsner, administrator of water supply development for the water management district. “It’s a surprise it went down so much.’’

Continued...

Read the full story in the Miami Herald online

5/11/2012

SWFWMD Issues Emergency Water Conservation Rules

On May 9, 2012 the Southwest Florida Water Management District issued an emergency Modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage Order for the Tampa Bay Area. The order specifies that:

• Lawn and landscape watering is limited to one day a week
• Watering is prohibited between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• Fountains may only operate four hours per day
• All observed violations will result in a fine of $193
• Car washing is limited to once per week and only on the designated watering day for your location
• Pressure washing is allowed once a year or for necessary purposes
• Restaurants shall only serve water upon request

Individual cities and counties may have more stringent rules, and may levy fines against violators. Check with your local utility for more information.

For more detailed information about the rules, and to find your authorized landscape watering day, visit the link below:

SWFWMD Modified Phase II Water Restriction Rules

5/9/2012

Tampa Bay Nitrogen Management Consortium Releases 2011 Report

The Tampa Bay Nitrogen Management Consortium has released its 2011 update on water quality and seagrass resources in the Tampa Bay estuary. The update was developed in response to, and in accordance with, the regulatory requirements of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The formal annual compliance assessment utilized by the Consortium is detailed in Section VIII.B. of the Final 2009 Reasonable Assurance Addendum: Allocation and Assessment Report.

In summary, chlorophyll-a concentrations in three of the four major bay segments of the Tampa Bay estuary were below FDEP-approved thresholds. Old Tampa Bay chl-a concentrations exceeded FDEP-approved annual average thresholds in 2011; however, this is considered a short duration exceedence as chl-a levels were below thresholds in 2010.

Chlorophyll-a is the most common type of chlorophyll, and its concentration in bay water is used to estimate the relative abundance of phytoplankton. When water contains excess nutrients, it may cause an overgrowth of phytoplankton, reducing the clarity of the water and inhibiting the penetration of sunlight to the bay bottom, thereby adversely affecting seagrass growth.

Original thresholds were adopted as part of FDEP’s 2002 Reasonable Assurance determination for Tampa Bay and, at that time, it was determined that Tampa Bay’s seagrass restoration goals could be achieved if annual chl-a concentrations remained below these thresholds. Additional RA compliance assessment steps are only necessary when thresholds are exceeded for two concurrent years in any particular bay segment. This nutrient management strategy has been utilized by the TBEP and Consortium and incorporated into an Annual Decision Matrix report for Tampa Bay, as well as this report to regulators. Additionally, the most recent seagrass estimates from the Southwest Florida Water Management District indicate that baywide seagrass coverage increased by 3,250 acres from 2008 to 2010. The SWFWMD will be providing an updated seagrass acreage estimate for Tampa Bay by the end of 2012.

» Read the report from the Tampa Bay Nitrogen Management Consortium

5/7/2012

TBEP Flamingos Flock to Manatee County!

Think Pink! Flamingos Flock to Manatee County to Urge Residents to Protect Our Waters

Be on the lookout for a flock of pink flamingos traveling around Manatee County this Spring – plastic pink yard flamingos, that is.

The flamingos are the roving ambassadors for the “Be Floridian” fertilizer education campaign sponsored by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and Manatee County. Be Floridian supports Manatee County’s new urban fertilizer ordinance, which bans use of nitrogen lawn and landscape fertilizer in the summer to prevent water pollution.

Continued...

» Read the full story in the Bradenton Times online

5/4/2012

FDEP Schedules Hearings on Water Quality "Human Health Criteria"

As part of its "triennial review" of Florida water quality, required by the Federal Clean Water Act, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is conducting a series of three public hearings later this month in West Palm Beach (May 15), Orlando (May 16) and Tallahassee (May 17). Two topics will be considered, dissolved oxygen criteria and "human health criteria" -- i.e., people's exposure to chemicals through drinking water and fish consumption.

The FDEP says that the original dissolved oxygen criteria were based on outdated, nationwide studies, and that the Department has more recent Florida-specific research that will improve its "ability to make accurate environmental decisions and reduce the number of cases where state waters are incorrectly assessed."

Factors in the analysis used to calculate the chemical exposure criteria are the estimated fish consumption rate, consumer body weights, and drinking water consumption rates.

Public comments will be accepted at the meetings, as well as via mail and email. A second set of public workshops will be conducted in July, and the new standards are expected to be adopted in September.

Related article in The Florida Current

Public meeting details including agendas and triennial review fact sheet

5/4/2012

Sinkhole Worries Nix Reservoir Expansion Plan

By Craig Pittman

TAMPA -- Tampa Bay Water officials are ditching their plan to expand Florida's largest reservoir by 3 billion gallons, saving the ratepayers money, but once again stumbling on a major project.

Instead of spending $163 million to expand the reservoir, the utility will pay closer to $121 million to fix the repeated cracking problem in the existing 15.5 billion-gallon facility.

Utility officials gave two reasons: the weight and the winter.

Continued...

» Read the full story in the Tampa Bay Times

5/4/2012

Fixes Bring McKay Bay to Life

By Yvette C. Hammette

TAMPA - East of downtown, past the cruise ships and dry docks, an appendage of Tampa Bay is bustling with construction.

McKay Bay is under renovation. When the work is complete, the drab reminder of reckless 1960s development again will provide suitable habitat for fish and wading birds.

The recontoured shoreline, with a new skirt of native grasses and mangroves, will help cleanse runoff headed from Palm River into the bay.

And a massive dredge hole at McKay Bay's center — it provided foundation material for Davis Islands and house foundations — will be filled in and ready to converge again with nearby mud flats. The Southwest Florida Water Management District, knows as Swiftmud, and the Tampa Port Authority are working together to complete the restoration projects.

At the mouth of Palm River, channelized and dredged by the Army Corps of Engineers a half century ago, thousands of invasive trees such as Brazilian pepper have been removed. A tidal pool being created there will provide habitat for aquatic creatures and plants, and 35 acres of restored uplands will be an agreeable environment for birds.

"The poor water quality in the estuary is due to the intense industrial and residential development in the McKay Bay watershed," said Kris Kaufman, an environmental scientist with the state's Surface Water Improvement and Management program. "Stormwater runoff and sediment contamination … have both contributed to poor water quality."

The SWIM scientists work in conjunction with the water management district.

Continued...

Click here to read the entire story on TBO.com

5/3/2012

Registration Open for "Tampa Bay: Living Legacy" Educators' Workshop

Immerse your students in the natural and cultural history of Tampa Bay by attending this free one-day workshop featuring curriculum designed to accompany the documentary film "Tampa Bay: Living Legacy" This film chronicles the transformation of Tampa Bay from one of the nation's most polluted waterways to one of its most heralded environmental success stories.

The teaching guide offers six complete lesson plans that complement key chapters in the bay's natural and human history, highlighting important natural resources such as birds and seagrass habitats, and drawing on the memories and perspectives of the local "Bay Champions" who fought to save this centerpiece of our region.

When:  August 2, 2012, 9 am to 4 pm
Where: Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive N.E., St. Petersburg, FL 33702

• The curriculum is designed for grades 9-12.
• Participating teachers will receive a $35 stipend.
• Pre-registration is required; home school and informal educators are welcome.

» Photo by Joe Bailey

Click here for more information and to register online

5/3/2012

SWFWMD Surplus Lands Subcommittee to Consider Tampa Bay Properties

The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (SWFWMD) Governing Board Surplus Lands Assessment (SLA) Project Subcommittee will meet on May 10th at 10 a.m. at the Tampa Service Office, 7601 US Highway 301 North. The Subcommittee will be considering whether to sell or otherwise transfer ownership of nine properties in Evaluation Area 2, which includes Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco Counties. The properties under review are as follows:

• Tampa Bypass Canal
• Lake Hancock
• Chito Branch Reserve
• Lake Tarpon Outfall Canal
• Harney Canal
• Pretty Lake
• Lake Thonotosassa
• Jerry Lake
• Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve

A preliminary review by District staff determined that ownership of these properties was not essential in meeting SWFWMD's core mission.

The mission statement of the SLA Project Subcommittee is as follows:
"Review the SWFWMD’s land holdings to ensure their support of the water supply, flood protection, water quality and natural systems areas of responsibility thereby ensuring the diligent and efficient stewardship of both land and financial resources for the citizens of Florida. The review process will confirm the original acquisition purpose and current water management benefits within the four areas of responsibility, facilitate a transparent public decision-making process and, if appropriate, consider a full range of potential surplus options."

The meeting is open to the public, and there will be an opportunity for public comment. For more information, including agenda and a project notebook containing maps and detailed information about each property, visit the link below:

Click here for more information

5/2/2012

Bayshore Will Get 'Reclaimed' Water

TAMPA -- South Tampa's reclaimed water project is expanding to Bayshore Boulevard.

The $600,000 expansion will serve Bayshore homeowners from Rome to Howard avenues.

It will connect to the system that provides recycled wastewater for lawn watering. It also will enable irrigation of public parkways along Bayshore.

When the expansion is completed, 22,000 fewer gallons of water a day will be taken from the Hillsborough River, officials said.

The expansion is slated to begin this fall and won't require removing asphalt from Bayshore Boulevard.

Click to read the full story on TBO.com

5/2/2012

Impact-Based Stormwater Fee Structure Encourages Low-Impact Solutions, Funds Infrastructure

By Tom Arrandale, correspondent for Governing

Any municipal utility expects customers to howl whenever water and sewer rates go up. But Philadelphia businesses have been grumbling for two years about their rates. That's because some monthly bills have climbed thousands of dollars to take into account all the property covered by rooftops, parking lots and other impermeable pavement. Those hardened surfaces shed rain as fast as it falls to the ground, and Philadelphia's redesigned stormwater fees target the properties that contribute most of the pollutant-laced water that flows straight to the city's 79,000 storm drains.

The Philadelphia Water Department, however, is willing to cut commercial customers a lucrative break. In fact, the city will forgive the entire bill if owners build artificial wetlands, plant trees, install rain barrels, cultivate rooftop gardens, lay down permeable pavement or add other water-absorbing features that restore the landscape's natural capacity to absorb summertime cloudbursts and soak up winter snowmelt.

Philadelphia is committed to refurbishing 9,500 acres of paved lands as part of a $2 billion plan for complying with federal orders to fix combined drainage and sewage systems that wash raw sewage and contaminant-laced runoff into the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. For four decades, the city funded its stormwater sewers with monthly fees based on how much municipal drinking water a home or business consumed. But in 2010, the water agency deployed GIS imaging to determine how much of a parcel had been paved over by impervious structures. Two years from now, Philadelphia will finish phasing in fees that require landowners whose properties shed the most stormwater to pick up an even bigger share of the tab.

Continued...

Click here to read more of "The Price of Greening Stormwater" in Governing.com

Learn more about Philadelphia's stormwater plan on PhillyWatersheds.org

5/2/2012

Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) Seeks Members for Business Advisory Council

The Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) is accepting applications to fill 16 seats on its newly-established Business Advisory Council (BAC). With the BAC, GOMA wants to ensure industry sector participation and advisement in regional initiatives for the Gulf of Mexico. The BAC will provide a fundamental connection between policy and applied management decisions. Applications must be returned to GOMA by May 16, 2012, and can be found on GOMA's website: www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org.

"GOMA anticipates that the BAC will prove to be an invaluable source of advice and input from industries operating in and around the Gulf of Mexico region," said Phil Bass, Gulf of Mexico Alliance Acting Director. "We look forward to working with new partners on issues of regional importance."

The following BAC industry sector seats are available at this time:

• Tourism
• Oil and gas
• Manufacturing
• Utilities / Energy (including power generation and alternative sources)
• Transportation (including shipping and harbors)
• Commercial and recreational fishing
• Seafood processing
• Agriculture

Two candidates from each sector will be selected based on their industry sector expertise and experience, community and professional affiliations, and knowledge regarding the protection and management of marine resources. Council members will serve as liaisons to others in their industry regarding regional issues addressed by GOMA.

The inaugural meeting of the GOMA BAC is scheduled for the annual GOMA "All Hands" Meeting, June 19-21, 2012 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Applications are found on the GOMA website www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org or by contacting Laura Bowie at 228-523-4013.

Click here to go to the GOMA site

5/1/2012

UF Journalism Students Explore the "State of Water"

A project of students enrolled at the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida, "State of Water" is a new multimedia reporting project that aims to explain the often-complicated subject of water conservation and management in the state of Florida. Twenty "storytellers," guided by three advisers, will tell the stories of our water resources, and how people, politics, ecosystems, and history affect the way we as individuals and as a society relate to water. The project is described as "an experiment in student journalistic storytelling."

Watch the "State of Water" promotional video

Explore the StateofWater.org blog

4/30/2012

New “Spatial Library” Puts Documents (and More) on the Map!

As part of work performed for New College of Florida’s Coastal Watersheds project, the Water Atlas team is working on several enhancements. One of these is the geospatial mapping of items in the Digital Library. Accommodation was also added for new types of library items, including videos, case studies, and contact information for people. New forms were created to facilitate the submission of library items by Water Atlas users, including an interactive tool to help in specifying a location for new library items.

A link to the Spatial Library currently appears in the menu bar on the Sarasota County Water Atlas and the Hillsborough County & City of Tampa Atlas, and will be added for other Water Atlases soon. The Spatial Library can be used to locate library items in any Water Atlas, as the library database is shared and all its entries for lakes, bays, ponds, etc. have been geocoded.

Use the link below to access the Spatial Library, and let us know what you think!

—The Water Atlas Team.

Try the Water Atlas Spatial Library

4/30/2012

Check out the latest issue of the HRWA Newsletter!

What's cooking at the Hillsborough River Watershed Alliance? To find out, read their weekly newsletter!

» Archive of all HRWA newsletters

4/30/2012

Alliance for Water Efficiency Gives Florida a C+ Grade

The Alliance for Water Efficiency and the Environmental Law Institute have released a draft of the report entitled, "The Water Efficiency and Conservation State Scorecard: An Assessment of Laws and Policies." This research effort, funded in part by a grant from the Turner Foundation, identified state level water efficiency and conservation policies and laws throughout the 50 states via a 20-question survey. Water efficiency and conservation laws and policies encompassed in the survey included plumbing fixture standards, water conservation requirements related to water rights, water loss control rules, conservation planning and program implementation, volumetric billing for water, funding sources for water efficiency and conservation programs, and technical assistance and other informational resources.

Continued...

Click here for more information and to read the full study

4/27/2012

Water Quality Fight Could Spawn More Appeals

Florida's long-running fight about water-quality standards for rivers, lakes and springs could be headed toward a federal appeals court in Atlanta.

Groups on both sides of the fight gave formal notice last week that they could appeal a federal judge's ruling about what are known as "numeric nutrient criteria" --- an issue that has drawn widespread attention from state policymakers, local governments, business lobbies and environmentalists.

The South Florida Water Management District also filed such a notice Wednesday, though an attorney said the move was largely procedural. The district wants to make sure it is in a legal position to address issues that might be raised by other groups or agencies.

Continued...

» Read the full story in the News-Press online

4/23/2012

Florida Warmer, Wetter Over Last 116 Years, Analysis Shows

Florida has gotten slightly warmer and a little wetter overall since standardized record keeping began in 1895. This is according to a state-by-state analysis by Christopher Burt, the weather historian for the private forecasting service Weather Underground.

“There are some surprises, but by and large the trend is certainly towards warmer and wetter conditions in most regions of the country,” he said.

The state has seen increases in precipitation of 4.4 percent over the long-term average, while temperatures have edged up just 0.4 degrees.

Continued...

» Read the full story in the Palm Beach Daily News

4/23/2012

USGS Makes Historical Maps Available Online

In 1884, the second USGS Director John Wesley Powell briefed Congress on the need for a national mapping program, stating, "The map once constructed should be enduring…"

In keeping with that spirit, The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has publicly released more than 161,000 digitally scanned historical maps spanning in excess of 130 years and covering the conterminous lower 48 states. This Historical Topographic Map Collection provides a comprehensive repository of the landscape of our Nation and tracks changes through time, providing essential clues critical in the understanding of our Nation's topography, geography and development.

"Just as parents might keep a photo album to record their children as they grew, these historical maps are the cartographer's physical quantification of how the land changed as the Nation grew over the last 130 years," explained USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "This historical collection contains immense scientific value as we shaped the land that shaped us."

With the recent completion of the states of Massachusetts and Florida, the Historical Topographic Map Collection can now offer, for free download, digital versions of the USGS legacy topographic map series which includes all scales and all editions originally published for the entire continental U.S.

As chartered, the USGS topographic mapping program has accurately portrayed the complex geography of our nation through maps in the lithographic printed format. Since the official release of the digital, scanned collection this past September, more than 1.2 million historical topographic maps have been downloaded from the website– an average of more than 5,700 maps per day.

These chronological historical maps are an important national resource as they provide the long-term record and documentation of the natural, physical and cultural landscape. The history documented by this collection and the analysis of distribution and spatial patterns is invaluable throughout the sciences and non-science disciplines. Genealogists, historians, anthropologists, archeologists and others can use this collection for research as well as a framework on which a myriad of information can be presented in relation to the national landscape.

The maps are offered to the public at no cost in GeoPDF format or as a printed copy for $15 plus a $5 handling charge from the USGS Store and can be used in conjunction with the new USGS digital topographic map, the US Topo.

Similar historical maps for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Pacific Territories will be available later this summer.

» Visit the USGS Historical Map Collection Online

4/20/2012

Tampa Bay Water Seeks New Trial in Reservoir Case

Tampa Bay Water's board will ask a federal judge to grant a new trial in its $73 million lawsuit against the company that designed its cracked reservoir, but has not decided yet on appealing last week's jury verdict against the utility.

However, utility officials said ratepayers are unlikely to see any increases for some time.

Continued...

» Read this story online in TampaBay.com

4/19/2012

Deadline to Enter Community Water-Wise Awards is June 30th

Tampa Bay Water, its Member Governments and the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program are sponsoring the 14th annual Community Water-Wise Awards. These awards recognize individuals and businesses with water-efficient, aesthetically pleasing landscapes. To qualify for an award, the landscape must be located in unincorporated areas of Pasco, Pinellas or Hillsborough counties or the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg or Tampa. Deadline for application is June 30, 2012.

If you are interested in learning more about the awards program or would like assistance and information in creating a water-wise landscape, visit http://www.tampabaywaterwise.org/ for guidelines and online application. To speak to an extension agent about the Community Water-Wise program, contact Dale Armstrong at Pinellas County Extension, (727) 582-2108, or Lynn Barber, (813) 744-5519, ext. 105, at Hillsborough County Extension, or Chris Dewey, (813) 929-2716, at Pasco County Extension.

4/19/2012

Tampa Water Dept Provides Rebates for Conversion of Conventional Irrigation Zone to Micro-Irrigation

Tampa, FL April 17, 2012 - A limited number of rebates for conversion of conventional irrigation zones to micro-irrigation are available to qualified Tampa water utility customers. The Tampa Water Department is offering up to $250 for single-family residential account holders and up to $1,000 to multi-family and commercial customers currently using city water for irrigation at locations where high-volume irrigation is converted to low-volume technology.

“We are happy to be able to offer these rebates to help our customers increase the efficiency of their irrigation systems. In Tampa, outdoor water use can account for as much as 50 percent of the total water use at homes and at many business locations,” said Brad Baird, Water Department Director. “Making even small changes to the ways we use water can have a positive impact for our customers, our community and our water resources.”

Residential customers participating in the rebate program can receive 50 cents per square foot the conversion of up to 500 square feet of non-turf landscape to micro-irrigation. Multi-family and commercial locations are eligible to receive 50 cents per square foot for converting up to 2,000 square feet.

Click to read the full story and additional rebates Tampa offers

4/19/2012

Hillsborough County Commission Honors TBEP

TBEP receive a special commendation this week from the Hillsborough County Commission for our collaborative efforts to improve Tampa Bay. The commendation was presented by Commissioner Victor Crist, who serves on our Policy Board representing Hillsborough County. In presenting the commendation, Commissioner Crist note that he personally has seen dramatic improvements in Tampa Bay since his childhood. He praised TBEP for working successfully over the last 20 years with local government officials, scientists, recreational users and others interested in the bay's welfare to facilitate positive improvements in water quality and fisheries.

Click here to watch the presentation

4/18/2012

Mote Marine Lab Publishes Study on Manatee Hearing

Source: "Mote Insider" Newsletter

A new study on manatee hearing by Mote Marine Laboratory and collaborators shows that these marine mammals can sense a wide range of pitches despite loud background noise.

The study, published last week in the peer-reviewed Journal of Experimental Biology, demonstrates that manatees can hear frequencies produced by boat engines, pointing to new questions about how manatee hearing operates in the wild and why these mammals remain vulnerable to watercraft.

The study tested the hearing abilities of Mote’s resident manatees, Buffett and Hugh — the world’s only manatees trained to participate in behavioral research and husbandry (animal care) procedures.

The project was led by Mote’s manatee care, training and research coordinator Joseph Gaspard III in collaboration with a team of scientists who do ongoing sensory studies with Hugh and Buffett: Mote adjunct scientists Dr. Gordon Bauer, professor at New College of Florida, and University of South Florida professor Dr. David Mann, along with University of Florida professor Dr. Roger Reep. Collaborators also included the manatee training staff at Mote Aquarium.

Read the study on manatee hearing

4/17/2012 8:24:52 PM

Need to schedule a work day

Any one have input on scheduling our next work day for Sat May 19th from 8 to 11? as always we are open to alternate suggestions and will go with what works for the majority. Look forward to hearing from everyone!

4/17/2012

Hillsborough EPC Obtains Permitting Delegation

EPC Obtains State Environmental Resource Permitting Delegation for Impacts on Single Family Properties and Other Activities

Effective February 9, 2012, the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC) will be receiving partial delegation of the State Environmental Resource Permitting Program resulting, for the first time, in one stop permitting for qualifying activities in wetlands and other surface water, including sovereign submerged lands. The scope of the delegation includes the State Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) regulatory authority over activities within wetlands and other surface waters for activities on single family properties, docking facilities, piers, boardwalks, shore protection structures, boat ramps, navigational dredging, and other in-water activities.

After February 9, 2012, applicants will no longer submit applications to the state DEP for qualifying activities but should apply to the EPC for appropriate permits. As a result of the delegation, total application fees will either remain the same or will be decreased depending on the type of permit sought. Upon delegation the EPC will have the authority to issue one permit on behalf of the State DEP for activities that qualify and, under a previous delegation agreement, on behalf of the Tampa Port Authority for certain activities within navigable waters of Hillsborough County. For more information, please contact Mike Thompson with the EPC Wetlands Management Division at (813) 627-2600, ext. 1219.

For exempt activities previously reviewed through the FDEP “Self-Certification”, link to either the EPC Misc. Activities in Wetlands (MAIW) or EPC/TPA Minor Work Permit (MWP) applications. This delegation enables EPC to issue permits that will include these FDEP exemptions.

Visit the Hillsborough EPC website for more information

4/17/2012

Vendors And Sponsors Needed for 2012 Tampa Bay Hurricane Expo

What: 2012 Tampa Bay Hurricane Expo
When: Saturday, June 2, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: MOSI, 4801 E. Fowler Avenue in Tampa

Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa will hold the fifth annual Tampa Bay Hurricane Expo at The Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) on Saturday, June 2, 2012. The Expo will continue its tradition of informing and educating the public on the importance of making plans in preparation for any emergency through a fun, family-oriented event.

The Expo features vendors, entertainment, a panel of meteorologists from local news stations and emergency experts, children’s activities, giveaways, and discounted admission to MOSI (special engagements excluded). Last year, more than 3,000 guests attended the Tampa Bay Hurricane Expo.

Vendor opportunities are available for businesses, local non-profits and government agencies who offer hurricane protection or survival products or services. Sponsorship also are available, which help make this important community education event possible. Available sponsorship levels include a title sponsorship opportunity ($5,000), parking sponsor opportunity ($3,000), and hurricane sponsor opportunities ($1,000). Sponsorship benefits include, at a minimum, a tax benefit of a charitable contribution to the City of Tampa; company name displayed on Expo fliers and posters distributed throughout Tampa and Hillsborough County, on the Expo schedule guide handed to all attendees as they enter the Expo, and on the Expo website; and a choice of a prime booth location.

To participate, interested vendors and sponsors need to fill out the vendor/sponsor registration at www.TampaBayHurricaneExpo.com. Deadline to submit exhibit the registration form by mail or fax is Monday, April 30.

Click here for more information