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EXPERTS TO HOLD CONFERENCES IN MIAMI AND MARATHON, FLORIDA TO DISCUSS IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE FLORIDA KEYS

Release Date: 05/24/1999
Contact Information: Dawn Harris, EPA Press and Media Relations, 404-562-8421

Federal and local officials will hold conferences on Wednesday, May 26, 1999 in Miami, FL and on Thursday, May 27, 1999 in Marathon, FL to discuss the impacts of climate change on South Florida and the Florida Keys.

The Miami conference will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Wyndham Miami Biscayne Bay Hotel. The Marathon conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Marathon Garden Club. Topics of discussion will include:

the current state of global warming science;

the impact of rising seas on South Florida’s beaches and wetlands;

the implications of climate change for the Everglades and Florida's other natural resources;

the public health risks associated with climate change;

the impact of rising seas on the local economy, environment, and infrastructure; and

the implications of climate change for coral reefs.



Many of the nation's leading experts on climate change and its potential impacts will present the latest scientific information about global warming and the threat it poses to South Florida's coastal communities, the Florida Keys, infrastructure, and natural resources. Also, conference organizers will provide information

concerning the science of global climate change, highlight strategies and sustainable solutions for reducing the potential risks associated with climate change and facilitate partnerships to counter the potential impacts of climate change on South Florida.

Conference sponsors include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Florida Gold Coast Clean Cities Coalition, Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management, and the International Hurricane Center at Florida International University.

The public is invited to attend the conferences. Due to space limitations, participants are encouraged to register on-line at www.epa.gov/globalwarming/conferences/ or call Chip Goyette of the Waste Policy Institute at 703-247-2403.