Escambia County’s sea turtle retrofit lighting program funding will be available to Pensacola Beach residents and property owners until December.
In support of the Barrier Island Lighting Ordinance, which became effective Jan. 1, 2018, the county is offering a cost-share retrofit program for Pensacola Beach residents. If eligible, property owners may be reimbursed up to $56 per fixture and $25 per bulb to retrofit existing lights to turtle friendly alternatives.
Once the program ends in December, homeowners will still be responsible for replacing any non-compliant lights and could face civil citations. Any light source visible from the beach must meet the turtle friendly standards outlined in the ordinance, no matter the location the of property.
Escambia County allocated funding from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment project, Restoring the Night Sky, to assist homeowners in complying with the ordinance. The project has previously funded the 2015 retrofit of Casino Beach parking lot and Gulfside Pavilion and the 2016 retrofit of two Perdido Key condominiums to enhance nesting habitats within Perdido Key State Park.
Sea turtle nesting season begins in May and lasts until late summer. Artificial lighting is one of the largest threats to nesting and hatchling sea turtles. Bright lights can deter nesting behaviors, while hatchlings often confuse artificial lights with the natural light sources they use to find the Gulf of Mexico. This causes disorientation, leading hatchlings away from the gulf and into danger.
Pensacola Beach residents and property owners are encouraged to contact Natural Resources Management environmental technician Samantha Bolduc, at 850-595-3460 or [email protected] to see if they are eligible for the cost-share program. A list of pre-approved fixtures and bulbs can be found at here. More information about the project and sea turtles in Escambia County can be found at myescambia.com/seaturtles.
