May 17, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Pete Winton, Lee County Administration
(239) 335-2777
BOARD HONORS LATE CAUSEWAY WORKER/
OPPOSES NATIONAL ENERGY BILL
FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 17, 2005) - The Board of Lee County Commissioners today approved the following items during its regular weekly meeting. They are:
Causeway Worker - Honored the late Kent Crappell, the Boh Bros. crane operator who died as a result of the April 25 accident on the Sanibel Causeway Improvements Project. The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company also presented funds from a trust established by Dave Reynolds and the Sanibel Captiva Chamber of Commerce to help the Crappell family. Below is the resolution honoring Mr. Crappell. (Attached photo l to r, facing photograph: Lee County Commissioner Bob Janes; Commissioner Tammy Hall; the late Kent Crappell's daughter, Erin, and wife, Rebecca; Commission Chairman Doug. St. Cerny; Commissioner John Albion; Commissioner Ray Judah).
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS: On April 25, 2005, Kent A. Crappell, a crane operator with Boh Bros. Construction on the Sanibel Causeway Improvements Project, was driving a concrete pile near the Causeway's drawbridge and toll booth plaza; and
WHEREAS: Failure of the concrete pile made the crane unstable; and
WHEREAS: Mr. Crappell displayed the presence of mind, quick thinking, and proficiency with the crane to warn his co-workers by blowing the air horn, and steer the falling concrete pile and crane in a way to minimize the danger to nearby motorists and bridge construction workers. Only one person, other than Mr. Crappell, suffered injuries due to the accident; and
WHEREAS: In doing this selfless act, Mr. Crappell sacrificed his own life as he was thrown from the crane's cab; and
WHEREAS: Lee County and its citizens owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Crappell for his heroism. It is right and fitting that during National Public Works Week, May 15th through 21st, we honor Mr. Crappell and the tens of thousands of men and women in North America who provide and maintain the infrastructure and services collectively known as public works, in often high risk and potentially life-threatening situations.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE Board of County Commissioners of Lee County, Florida does hereby extend our deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Kent Crappell, and also our heartfelt appreciation for his selfless act that cost him his life, but saved the lives of others.
Duly executed this 17th day of May 2005.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA
Douglas R. St. Cerny
Chairman
Energy Bill - Opposed the U.S. House of Representatives Energy Bill for the following reasons as outlined in the approved resolution:
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA
TO OPPOSE H.R. 6, THE ENERGY BILL
WHEREAS; The National Association of Counties has expressed strong concern to Congress regarding H.R. 6, The Energy Policy Act of 2003 for it's disregard for state and local land use rights and for the unfunded mandates imposed upon it's citizens by shifting the costs of cleanup from polluters to local taxpayers, and
WHEREAS; the Energy bill contains many provisions that weaken the State's ability to object to oil and gas activities off of Florida's coast including the weakening of the present Coastal Zone Management Act, and
WHEREAS; Section 2010 of the Energy bill gives the Secretary of the Interior authority to site on the outer continental shelf not only alternative energy facilities but also any facility related to the exploration, development, production, transportation, or storage of oil, natural gas and other materials. This edict essentially gives the Secretary of the Interior czar like authority to site a wide range of oil and gas facilities on the outer continental shelf without guaranteeing state participation, specific protections or competitive bidding, and
WHEREAS; the Energy bill contains 39 known roll backs to protections given in current law that will negatively effect public health, state and local rights regarding public lands, rivers and coastal areas and compromises the rights of citizens by shielding polluters from clean-up liability
WHEREAS; the Energy bill contains defective product liability protection for producers of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) preventing communities from suing MTBE manufactures for the contamination of our water supply and placing the costly and retroactive burden of clean up from the oil and gas industry to state and local taxpayers and
WHEREAS; Florida has the most MTBE spills in the country presently at 29,000 and this bill would extinguish active suits such as the one presently filed in the City of Pensacola, and
WHEREAS; the Tax Payers for Common Sense, a non-partisan budget watchdog group has identified 18.7 Billion in industry tax cuts with-in the Energy bill which sadly supports many present industry policies which simply perpetuate the unsustainable practices of the past
WHEREAS; there is a growing broad based group including tax and consumer groups, state and local governments, religious leaders, labor unions, hunters and anglers, environmental and public health advocates and Native American tribes that oppose the Energy bill and recognize that the United States can meet the energy needs of it's citizens with out sacrificing environmental protections, despoiling pristine lands and putting at risk the needs of future generations.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS opposes H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2003 as presently written and call upon our Florida Senators and Members of Congress to restore state and local governments rights and to advocate legislation and funding for more secure, renewable and sustainable energy sources.
This resolution was offered by Commissioner Judah, who moved for its adoption. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hall and upon being put to a vote, the vote was unanimous.