Denying a request submitted by the George Snow Scholarship Fund for an emergency variance from a portion of the Palm Beach County manatee protection rule (Rule 68C-22.009, F.A.C.). The request sought authorization to allow up to three vessels to be ...

 

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Manatees

RULE NO: RULE TITLE
68C-22.009: Palm Beach County Zones

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on February 1, 2007, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an order denying a request submitted by the George Snow Scholarship Fund for an emergency variance from a portion of the Palm Beach County manatee protection rule (Rule 68C-22.009, F.A.C.). The request sought authorization to allow up to three vessels to be operated at speeds greater than allowed by the rule for the purpose of performing a water ski show in the Intracoastal Waterway area adjacent to Red Reef Park in Boca Raton. The ski show was to take place from 6:50 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. on January 27, 2007, in association with a fund raising event. The FWC received the petition on January 19, 2007, and posted a notice of petition on the FWC website (MyFWC.com) on January 23, 2007. The FWC received six e-mails commenting on the petition. The petition was denied because, even with the actions the applicant was willing to take, the proposed timing of the ski show prevented the purposes of the underlying statute from being met. In addition, given when the FWC received the petition, the FWC did not have enough time to meet the noticing and public commenting requirements of Rule 28-104.005, F.A.C., and still issue an order in the week prior to the ski show. Additional information can be obtained by contacting: Scott Calleson, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Imperiled Species Management Section (Mail Station 6A), 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600.