BASIS FOR CONFLICT 



The following is a list of socieoconomic and environmental problems and 

 conflicts common to Northwest Florida. The list includes a variety of uses, 

 all of which can result in conflict. 



Residential, commercial, and industrial developments compete for valuable 

 coastal lands and waters. The intensity of the demand and competition 

 among these uses, and the concerns of environmentalists, are the basis 

 for multiple-use conflicts in Northwest Florida. 



New and expanding coastal residential and commercial development will 

 further compound the problem of rapidly diminishing coastal land and 

 water resources. 



Coastal wetlands and estuaries are a vital link in Florida's vast commer- 

 cial and sport fishing industries, but they are often disregarded by 

 planners and developers. 



Residential areas are frequently developed and constructed with little 

 regard for potential hurricanes and associated floods. 



The economy of Northwest Florida is heavily dependent upon tourism and 

 the natural beauty of the water and beaches. Any threat to these 

 resources is a threat to the economy of Northwest Florida. 



Excessive use of groundwater supplies for municipal use or by individuals 

 may cause saltwater intrusion as well as shortages of fresh water. 



The construction of housing, roads, bridges, and jetties on barrier 

 islands is likely to destabl ize the beach and dune environments. 



Sewage disposal in new residential areas may cause serious health and en- 

 vironmental problems. Faulty septic tank systems could cause seepage of 

 contaminated wastes into ground water and some coastal waters. 



Potential Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas development could 

 alter priorities in development and threaten wetlands along the Northwest 

 Florida coast. 



Expanded upland and nearshore oil and gas development could have signifi- 

 cant socioeconomic as well as environmental impacts. 



Oil and gas pipelines and other related structures built on wetlands 



would increase open water areas, destroy emergent vegetation, increase 



sedimentation and turbidity, and cause serious concern for the disposi- 

 tion of the spoil . 



Water may be polluted by dredge and fill practices, offshore construction 

 of platfomis, and discharges of clays and drilling liquids and wastes 

 during drilling. 



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