FY 2016-2017 Accomplishments

• Escambia County Water Quality Laboratory maintained certification from the Florida Department of Health. ECWQL provides analytical services for the following fields of accreditation: drinking water, non-potable water, and solid and chemical materials for a total of 68 parameters in water, soil, and sediment using 32 separate analytical methods. ECWQL performed 3,500 different analyses during in the year at an estimated cost saving of almost $50,000.
• Successfully managed compliance and monitoring requirements for county National Discharge Elimination System stormwater permit.   
• Managed more than $30 million in competitive grants for natural resources projects including water quality and habitat improvement projects.
• Supported development and submittal of millions of dollars of restoration projects for funding consideration by the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, Natural Resources Damage Assessment, RESTORE Direct Component (Pot 1), Gulf Coast Restoration Council (Pot 2), and Gulf Consortium (Pot 3).
• Conducted a field study in Bayou Chico to estimate thickness and distribution of soft sediment.  Study included nearly 500 sampling stations located throughout the bayou. Data collected will support the development of the Bayou Chico Sediment Remediation Project. 
• Conducted surface water quality monitoring at 21 long-term ambient stations located throughout Escambia County. Stations were monitored monthly for bacteria, and quarterly for nutrients, total suspended solids, and chlorophyll-a. Data generated by this program is used to determine water quality status and trends.
• Began implementation of the next phase of the Carpenter Creek Bacteria Pollution Control Plan.  Held kickoff meeting for state and local stakeholders in March and “Maps on the Table” planning meeting in August. Continued monthly surface water quality monitoring for E.coli bacteria at six stations located throughout the watershed. Data generated by this program was used to identify sources of fecal bacteria and document surface water quality improvements. 
• Continued implementation of the data collection/monitoring phase for the Eleven/Ten Mile Creek BPCP.  Conducted monthly surface water quality monitoring for E.coli bacteria at five stations located throughout the watershed. Data generated by this program was used to identify sources of fecal bacteria and document surface water quality improvements. 
• Participated in the annual update of the Bayou Chico Basin Management Action Plan. Supported BMAP monitoring efforts by conducting monthly surface water quality monitoring at seven stations located throughout the watershed. Stations were monitored for bacteria and nutrients. Data generated by this program was used to identify sources of fecal bacteria and document surface water quality improvements. 
• Provided technical support for incident command following the Cantonment digester incident.  Assisted in the development of response plans and monitoring endpoints.  
• Assisted Escambia County Waste Services with groundwater and surface water sampling for the Perdido Landfill and three closed solid waste facilities: Beulah, Klondike and Saufley Field landfills. Annual cost savings to Waste Services was estimated at approximately $100,000.
• Assisted Waste Services with the development and implementation of Incremental Sampling Methodology for their 15-acre expansion site. This was the first landfill expansion project in the State of Florida to implement ISM. Overall project costs were reduced by more than 50 percent.
• Continued monthly monitoring of the Escambia County Central Office Complex green roof and pervious pavement parking lot. Monitoring efforts are part of a three-year efficiency study funded by a Florida Department of Environmental Protection Total Maximum Daily Load grant.
• Maintained four air monitoring stations located around the former Rolling Hills Construction and Demolition Debris Facility.  Stations monitored the concentration of hydrogen sulfide gas, or H2S, every 30 minutes. Data generated was automatically posted to the county website in real-time.
• Monitored county permitted concrete recycling facilities for airborne particulates, or PM2.5. Data generated was used to determine permit compliance.  
• Enhanced urban canopy species diversity by hosting education/tree giveaway events and by planting more the 300 trees on 10 county project locations. Promoted protection of natural resources through professional arboricultural assessments, tree inventories, monitoring, restoration and exotic plant removal.  Held or participated in seven cleanup and outreach events including Bay Day, Arbor Day and Jones Swamp.