ST.
PETERSBURG, Fla. and TAMPA,
Fla., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- While
restoration is a critical part of Duke Energy Florida's and Tampa
Electric's everyday work and hurricane response plans, this is the
first time the two local utilities have combined resources to
protect Tampa Bay's ecosystems and
increase environmental resilience within the region.
Today, more than 40 volunteers, employees and environmental
experts from Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric, Coastal
Conservation Association (CCA) Florida, Hillsborough County's Conservation and Land
Management and Pinellas County's
Environmental Management Division, led a unique restoration project
by simultaneously planting nearly 700 red and black mangroves at
two locations impacted by tidal influence.
"Teaming up with our neighboring utilities, governmental leaders
and key community organizations to prepare, protect and power our
communities is not something new for our company and industry,"
said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy
Florida state president. "As we've learned from decades of storm
response and service, collaboration is essential to addressing our
communities' most pressing needs. Today's event is no different. We
thank Tampa Electric, CCA Florida, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, among the many others, who
are dedicated to keeping our communities safe, resilient and
thriving."
The two locations, EG Simmons Regional Park and Keystone/Carlton
Road in Northern Pinellas County,
were selected based on need, environmental factors and consultation
with Hillsborough County's
Conservation and Land Management and Pinellas County's Environmental Management
Division.
"This project is a win for the shoreline, a win for our
partners, and it reflects our continued commitment to environmental
stewardship," said Archie Collins,
president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. "We are
delighted to collaborate with like-minded neighbors – including
Duke Energy Florida – to complete this important coastal resilience
project."
Florida's mangrove ecosystems
serve a vital role in the overall health of the state's coastal
estuaries. Mangroves reduce coastal erosion caused by storm surges
and improve water quality by absorbing excess nutrients like
nitrogen and phosphorus. Mangrove soils and roots also sequester
carbon dioxide while providing habitat and refuge to a wide variety
of fish and wildlife.
The mangroves are grown and donated by CCA Florida and the Duke
Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center, a
company-owned-and-operated environmental restoration and
conservation center dedicated to rebuilding and maintaining
Florida's fish populations and
habitats.
More than 30 years ago, the Duke Energy Crystal River
Mariculture Center started as an environmental compliance
requirement to operate nearby power plants and has since grown into
one of Florida's most successful
fish hatcheries and conservation allies.
Instead of shutting down the operation when the power plants
closed and the environmental requirement was no longer necessary,
Eric Latimer, Duke Energy Florida's
manager of the Mariculture Center, found ways to work with
nonprofits, universities and state agencies, like CCA Florida,
among others, to rebuild and maintain Florida's fish populations and habitats that
were being impacted by declining water quality and disasters such
as red tide and hurricanes.
To date, the Mariculture Center, with help from CCA Florida, has
released nearly 5 million fish and crustaceans along Florida's coasts and has donated approximately
$200,000 worth of submerged aquatic
vegetation for habitat restoration projects in lakes, springs and
shorelines across the state.
For more information about the Duke Energy Crystal River
Mariculture Center, click here.
Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK),
owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to
2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a
13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.
Tampa Electric
Tampa Electric, one of Florida's largest investor-owned electric
utilities, serves more than 840,000 customers in West Central
Florida. Tampa Electric is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., a
geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
CCA Florida
The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) was founded in 1977
after drastic commercial overfishing along the Texas coast decimated redfish and speckled
trout populations. One of 19 state chapters, CCA Florida became the
fifth state chapter in 1985. A 501(c)3 non-profit, the purpose of
CCA is to advise and educate the public on conservation of marine
resources. Through habitat restoration projects, water quality
initiatives and fisheries advocacy, CCA Florida works with its over
18,000 members including recreational anglers and outdoor
enthusiasts to conserve and enhance marine resources and coastal
environments. Join the conversation on Facebook or learn more at
ccaflorida.org.
Duke Energy Media Contact: Audrey
Stasko
Media line: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_AudreyS
Tampa Electric Media Contact: Cherie Jacobs
Cell: 813.334.7779
Email: CLJacobs@TECOEnergy.com
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SOURCE Duke Energy