Despite bleak weather, volunteers pick up trash at beaches, rivers, parks
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ Dozens of volunteers of all ages assisted in picking up trash along Northeast Florida shorelines Saturday morning as part of efforts by Florida Coastal Cleanup, a nonprofit part of the Ocean Conservancyโs International Coastal Cleanup. โWe are here to save the planet and help save the turtles and pick up trash,โ said volunteer Kayla Barakat. The clean wasnโt only at the beach, but along rivers and parks across Jacksonville. Volunteers are needed to help keep Jacksonville beautiful during the annual Florida Coastal Cleanup tomorrow. Additional 2020 Florida Coastal Cleanup locations in Jacksonville can be found at coj.net.
Nearly $226M to restore open Gulf after 2010 BP oil spill
NEW ORLEANS โ Federal agencies have approved nearly $226 million for 18 projects to restore open ocean and marine habitats that were decimated in the Gulf of Mexico by the 2010 BP oil spill. The well spewed 210 million gallons (795 million liters) of oil before it was capped 87 days later. The open ocean recovery plan was drawn up by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with help from the U.S. Another $20.7 million would manage and protect corals and $16.9 million would develop techniques to grow and transplant them. โSupplying fishermen with the tools and knowledge to minimize barotrauma-related mortality would result in increased survival of fish released during recreational fishing activities,โ it said.