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The mission of the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) is to establish, maintain, and implement programs for the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the land and water resources of Palm Beach County. Through the accomplishment of this mission, the Department will promote the quality of environment, continued health, safety, and general welfare of both residents of, and visitors to, Palm Beach County. GOAL 1: To provide a concerted and systematic approach to protect the native biological communities and ecosystems of Palm Beach County Objectives: Develop and implement a program for acquisition of environmentally sensitive lands, wildlife corridors, greenways, and buffer areas in Palm Beach County, including the submittal of applications for matching funds for such acquisition Coordinate the management of all natural areas in the Palm Beach County Natural Areas System, to protect historic native ecosystems and their biological diversity Establish an efficient inventory, monitoring and analysis program for key wildlife populations and vegetation communities to aid in the management of the County's natural areas Administer compliance programs, including Upland/Wetland Protection, Sea Turtle Protection (coastal lighting regulation), and Sand Preservation and Mining & Excavation that are designed to preserve and protect native vegetation, marine turtles and their nesting habitat, coastal sand resources and the integrity of designated, privately-managed upland preserves and littoral areas Require, within the limits of County regulations, restoration of native habitats damaged or destroyed as a result of unpermitted activities Conduct development review activities to ensure that natural resource considerations and code requirements are adequately addressed in development plans Acquire sufficient data and historical records to expand our knowledge of biological communities and ecosystems Develop and maintain a trend monitoring program to document changes to seagrass populations Develop and maintain management plans for the County's natural areas, critical waterbodies, natural and artificial reefs and coastal shoreline Develop and maintain a tree salvage program to relocate native trees and vegetation that otherwise would be lost to development GOAL 2: To provide a concerted and systematic approach to protect and enhance the water resources of Palm Beach County Objectives: Administer compliance programs, including Pollutant Storage Tank Compliance, Wellfield Protection, Surface Water/Stormwater Regulation, and Mining and Excavation, that are designed to protect groundwater, surface water and wellfields Administer a water and irrigation conservation compliance program to reduce per capita water consumption Collect and maintain sufficient data to track trends in water quality within representative lakes, canals and estuaries in Palm Beach County Implement National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permit initiatives in cooperation with other County departments, local governments, special districts and regulatory agencies GOAL 3: To restore degraded habitats and natural resources to increase biodiversity and protect the value of the County's natural resources Objectives: Systematically review County-managed properties for opportunities to restore degraded ecosystems and provide additional habitat for native plants and animals Work with municipalities, special districts, regional entities and state agencies to identify non-County-owned public lands suitable for environmental enhancement and habitat creation Support and implement effective exotic plant and animal control programs on public lands Effectively manage and restore contaminated sites assigned by the State and the County Promote the construction and management of artificial reefs and associated habitats designed to increase fisheries, enhance the marine, estuarine and freshwater ecology and expand recreational opportunities Facilitate the recovery of state- and federally-listed endangered and threatened species and species of special concern GOAL 4: To mitigate the effects of erosion on coastal resources and upland properties, protect the public use and recreational potential of beaches and provide effective management of South Lake Worth Inlet Objectives: Construct and monitor beach and dune projects identified in the 30-year Shoreline Protection Plan and periodically update the plan in response to changing conditions Develop and maintain an emergency response strategy to limit property damage resulting from beach erosion during hurricanes and other significant storm events Seek state and federal funding to carry out erosion control programs and assist local governments in the management of their coastal resources Construct and maintain projects identified in the South Lake Worth Inlet Management Plan and identified in the settlement agreement between Palm Beach County, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Town of Ocean Ridge and the Town of Manalapan Maintain and manage the submerged lands and structures, including the jetties, bulkheads and training walls of the South Lake Worth Inlet Support coastal and inlet management efforts conducted by other governments units, including municipalities and special districts Develop and maintain a trend monitoring program to document changing coastal conditions and long-term changes to dry sand beaches, dune vegetation and stability, near-shore rock outcrops, sea turtle nesting and off-shore natural and artificial resources impacted by natural shoreline processes or erosion control projects GOAL 5: To encourage and support responsible public use of the County's natural areas and beaches Objectives: Construct and maintain public use facilities, including parking lots, boardwalks, hiking trails and informational kiosks, on County-managed natural areas Construct and maintain (in conjunction with the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department) dune crossovers and beach walkways at County-owned beaches Develop and distribute public information materials related to ERM programs and user guides for the County's natural areas Develop, issue, and oversee use permits for special activities within natural areas GOAL 6: To promote resources protection, stewardship and pollution prevention ethics through public education, cooperative efforts with the industry, and community involvement in resource protection, environmental restoration and land management practices Objectives: Provide a variety of informative, educational materials to the public, including pamphlets, brochures, a quarterly newsletter and an Internet web site Provide environmental data and technical information to the public through user- friendly systems such as the Environmental Assessment Search Index Promote pollution prevention concepts to area businesses by conducting workshops and seminars, providing educational literature and technical assistance and initiating collaborative efforts with industry groups and local schools Maintain an active volunteer program that maximizes opportunities for public involvement in environmental projects and programs Develop and maintain an Adopt-A-Natural Area Program and a Volunteer Stewardship Program and pursue corporate sponsorships to support the activities of these programs Maintain an Urban Forestry Program to assist local governments and the general public in tree conservation, tree planting and forest management issues Conduct seminars designed to educate the public on the benefits of maintaining native vegetation on private property Provide speakers for presentations on ERM programs, activities and related environmental topics to school groups, homeowners' associations, professional organizations and other interested groups GOAL 7: To enhance the health and quality of life of County residents and visitors through the reduction of mosquito populations Objectives: Provide an effective mosquito control program using chemical treatment, hormonal and bacterial larviciding and other biological controls Provide public information to educate residents on mosquito breeding prevention and County mosquito control activities Provide effective response coordination and public information management during mosquito-transmitted disease outbreaks Collect, maintain and analyze appropriate data to increase mosquito control program efficiency GOAL 8: To develop and maintain administrative processes and support services designed to efficiently use staff and financial resources to carry out the goals of ERM Objectives: Recruit and select, in a manner consistent with County policy, the most qualified staff available Provide appropriate training to enable staff to maintain technical competency, improve skills, take advantage of improved and cost-efficient equipment, and adjust to new responsibilities and programs Allocate staff consistent with priorities and needs of the Department, and regularly review and adjust staff allocation as conditions change Seek additional financial support through local, state and federal grant programs and outside funding sources Utilize financial resources allocated to the Department to carry out the mission, goals and objectives in an efficient and cost-effective manner Provide information management and communication services, including a geographic information system and a client/server network of computers, to fully support staff and provide for efficient management and distribution of environmental data and information Develop, maintain and make accessible written policies and procedures to ensure that all employees are aware of County and Department standards |
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 Coastal Resources |
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Lakes,
Estuaries and Lagoons |
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Mosquito Control |
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Natural Areas |
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Permitting and Regulation |
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