Page values for "IRLNews:Kennedy Space Center to Launch Indian River Lagoon Restoration Plan"

NASA's recent appointment of Administrator Bill Nelson, Associate Administrator Robert Cabana, and Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro may prove very beneficial to the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary.

• Bill Nelson, former State Representative and U.S. Senator, grew up in Melbourne, Florida and graduated from Melbourne High School. ?'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"'?

• Robert Cabana, NASA Astronaut Corps member, lived in Indian Harbour Beach from 2008 to 2021 during his tenure as KSC Director.?'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"'?

• Janet Petro, KSC Associate Director 2008 - 2021, grew up in Satellite Beach and graduated from Satellite High School.?'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"'?

All three newly appointed NASA executives have been Brevard County residents; have seen the demise of the Indian River Lagoon; and now have the authority to improve the Kennedy Space Center environment. It appears that the countdown to KSC IRL restoration has already begun.

In an effort to open a more transparent discourse with KSC management, local environmental groups Indian River Lagoon Roundtable and Sierra Club Florida sent introductory letters to Director Petro. Both environmental groups received responses that reveal a new "KSC Indian River Lagoon Health Initiative Plan" coming this fall:

“We started the KSC Indian River Lagoon Health Initiative Plan early last year, and are working with experts and stakeholders to finalize our initiative. This plan takes into consideration the approximately 140,000-acre Federal property and the Indian River Lagoon estuary on and adjacent to our NASA Center. It proposes projects and restoration actions that promote the lagoon's health and biodiversity and will serve as a reference to enable informed decisions regarding future lagoon health projects to help increase understanding of water quality, habitat quality, living resources issues, and restoration needs.” Janet Petro, KSC Director

In addition, Director Petro has introduced the IRL Roundtable to a KSC conservation biologist who is involved in the plan’s development. The biologist is expected to speak to the citizens environmental group this month.

The KSC Environmental Program Public Affairs Office has confirmed that the official name of NASA’s plan will be the "Indian River Lagoon Health Initiative Plan" and that it will be introduced at a Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP) meeting this fall. While not intended to be a lagoon wide restoration, the initiative will include various smaller restoration projects. The PAO reports that NASA engineers have recently applied for a permit for a “living shoreline” restoration project at KARS Park; that the IRL health plan will include water quality monitoring activities; and that potential partnerships with the community are in discussion.

KARS Park Shoreline 2021

See Also

• IRLNews:IRL Roundtable Receives KSC Indian River Lagoon Health Initiative Plan Initial Release
• IRLNews:Kennedy Space Center Develops Indian River Lagoon Health Initiative Plan
• Video: Link:NASA KSC presents the Indian River Lagoon Health Initiative Plan to the IRL National Estuary Program

Web Links

• Indian River Lagoon Roundtable
• Sierra Club Florida
• NASA Feature - Administrator Bill Nelson
• NASA Biographies - KSC Director Janet Petro
• NASA Biographies - Associate Administrator Robert D. Cabana
• KSC - KARS Park

Documents

• NASA - Bill Nelson (PDF 2pp)
• NASA - Robert D. Cabana (PDF 2pp)

References

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