Chapter II — Species of Special Concern 



Figure 12. Florida manatees in a thermal outfall at a power plant in Riviera Beach, Florida. 



(Photograph courtesy of John E. Reynolds, III) 



Have come to use warm-water refuges north of the 

 species historic winter range in southern Florida. 

 These two trends may be related, in which case 

 artificial refuges may have been an important factor in 

 helping that growth occur. 



Nevertheless, in the past two years the need for 

 long-term policies and strategies with regard to 

 managing warm-water refuges has taken on greater 

 urgency. In part this is because of the increasing 

 numbers of manatees that have become dependent on 

 these areas. Another factor is the possible deregula- 

 tion of Florida's electric utility industry to increase 



industry competition and lower electric rates. Such 

 deregulation could encourage the formation of small, 

 local electric companies able to supply electricity at 

 lower cost by purchasing it from remote locations, 

 such as Georgia, or producing it at small, cost-effi- 

 cient plants. Such competition could lead to the 

 temporary or permanent shutdown of some existing 

 power plants on which manatees have come to de- 

 pend. As a related matter, most power plants used by 

 manatees are now more than 30 years old and ap- 

 proaching the end of their planned operational life. 

 As a result, operators of many plants are or soon will 

 be facing decisions to either close or repower (i.e.. 



97 



