Florida Specifier Podcast

Ryan and Brett continue their look back at the Environmental Permitting Summer School through the eyes of its founders and supporters – both past and present – to provide a snapshot of who they are, what they do, why they’ve continued their support over the years; and what the conference means to them.  

This episode begins with Mark Thomasson from National Stormwater Trust.  He discusses the difference between attending the conference from within government and from the private sector; the panel presentations as predicate for deeper discussions afterward; how Smart Ponds work; and what he’s doing to expand NST’s reach beyond the Florida border. The episode continues as Larry Sellers and Jon Steverson talk about the earliest days of Summer School, how it’s become part of their family life, and a pineapple upside-down cake that is so special that Jon would stab Ryan and Brett to eat it.

Writing articles, advertising in the paper and website, and sponsoring the newsletter and podcast are ways to reach new customers and expand your company or organization’s profile throughout Florida.  

If you’d like to get the word out about how you’re making waves (pun intended) in Florida’s environmental world through an article or sponsorship, make sure you reach out to Brett, Ryan, Patrick, or Jamie at: 

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

If you’d like to advertise in The Florida Specifier, be sure to get in touch with Jamie Sheehan or Patrick Gillespie at:

To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll become a subscriber if you aren’t already), go here: https://floridaspecifier.com

A huge thank you goes out to Bagels and Biscuits for giving permission to use their music for the podcast.

This episode is a production of The Florida Specifier.  Audio production and editing is by Karl Sorne and Dave Barfield at Lonely Fox Studios.

A special shout out goes to our very own Jamie Sheehan and Tracy Kistler for keeping us organized and moving forward.

In this first of five special editions of the Florida Specifier Podcast, Ryan and Brett take a look back at the Environmental Permitting Summer School through the eyes of its founders and supporters – both past and present – to provide a snapshot of who they are; what they do; why they’ve continued their support over the years; and what the conference means to them.  

This volume begins with the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Frank Walker, whose organization is a founding and continuing sponsor of Summer School.  He discusses his work at the Chamber; what Summer School means to them; and how he became the best-dressed man in Marco Island. The episode continues as Jeff Littlejohn and Ryan Matthews provide a eulogy for this year’s conference; take a look forward at the year to come; and reminisce about what the conference has meant to them over the years.

But before that, Ryan and Brett kick things off by discussing The Florida Specifier itself and the goal of making Summer School extend year-round.  They cover the great work that Patrick Gillespie and the team are doing to constantly improve and expand resources for professionals and policy makers; what already makes The Specifier the go-to destination for environmental news and discussion; and discuss the benefits of partnering with the Specifier and gaining exposure to the most focused environmental group of professionals in Florida to keep the operation growing and sustainable over time.

Writing articles, advertising in the paper and website, and sponsoring the newsletter and podcast are a few ways to reach new customers and expand your company or organization’s profile throughout Florida.  

If you’d like to get the word out about how you’re making waves (pun intended) in Florida’s environmental world through an article or sponsorship, make sure you reach out to Brett, Ryan, Patrick, or Jamie at: 

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

If you’d like to advertise in The Florida Specifier, be sure to get in touch with Jamie Sheehan or Patrick Gillespie at:

[email protected]

[email protected]

To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll become a subscriber if you aren’t already), go here:

A huge thank you goes out to Bagels and Biscuits for giving permission to use their music for the podcast.

In this episode, the Florida Specifier’s editorial board is back during the “quiet season” to discuss the September/October issue of the Specifier.  Ryan gives the rundown on the Legislative Budget Request (LBR) and grants processes; Jeff gives an update on Florida’s legal wrangling with the federal government regarding Ch. 404 assumption; Brett directs readers’ attention to the federally mandated triennial water quality standards review and rulemaking at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); and Patrick pulls it all together, and then some, to provide environmental professionals and policymakers news they can actually use.  

To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll subscribe if you haven’t already), go here:

https://floridaspecifier.com

To get the word out about how you’re making waves (pun intended) in Florida’s environmental world whether it’s in the paper or the podcast, make sure you reach out to Brett, Ryan, or Jamie at: 

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

If you’d like to advertise in Florida’s premier environmental news periodical, please reach out to Jamie or Patrick here:

[email protected]

[email protected]

If you’re a subscriber and aren’t receiving the Florida’s Specifier’s weekly newsletter every Monday morning, please Patrick or Jamie know, and they will make sure you get it. 

A huge thank you goes out to Bagels and Biscuits for giving permission to use their music for the podcast.

A special shout out goes to our very own Jamie Sheehan and Tracy Kistler for keeping us organized and moving forward.

In this episode, Ryan and Brett sit down with Spencer Tuell of Gulf Coast Underground to discuss his work in the Gulf Coast, see what he did there, on municipal infrastructure and the work that GCU does to improve aging wastewater pipelines. Spencer and GCU have worked extensively in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and now Florida. Spencer discusses the updated technology that will allow communities to improve lateral lines, mains, and other pipes without significant digging or disruption to road surfaces. 

Spencer and Ryan discuss their relationship, which has spanned over two decades, but unfortunately no reputational destructive stories are shared. Spencer is a wealth of information on all things wastewater infrastructure, so we know you’ll enjoy the conversation.  To find out more about Gulf Coast Underground, please go here. 

To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll become a subscriber if you aren’t already), go here:

https://floridaspecifier.com

If you’d like to get the word out about how you’re making waves (pun intended) in Florida’s environmental world, make sure you reach out to Brett, Ryan, Patrick, or Jamie at: 

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

If you’d like to advertise in The Florida Specifier, be sure to get in touch with Jamie Sheehan or Patrick Gillespie at:

[email protected]

[email protected]

A huge thank you goes out to Bagels and Biscuits for giving permission to use their music for the podcast.

This episode is a production of The Florida Specifier. 

A special shout out goes to our very own Jamie Sheehan and Tracy Kistler for keeping us organized and moving forward.

In this episode, Ryan and Brett host David Rathke and Pepper Uchino to talk about their work and the upcoming 3rd Annual Florida Resilience Conference, taking place from September 11-13.  David is the Executive Director of Resiliency Florida, and Pepper is the Executive Director of the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association. Together, their organizations have teamed up to put on one of the most interesting and impactful conferences in the state. 

They discuss the growing scope of the resilience concept, how their individual organizations were developed, the nexus of their organizations’ missions, why people both inside and outside government are starting to pay close attention and looking for ways to collaborate, and even some tips for first-time attendees (like Brett).

They make a great pair of interview guests, so we know you’ll enjoy the conversation.  

There’s still time to register for the Florida Resilience Conference, so start your travel plans by heading here.

If you want to look ahead at the FSBPA’s 38th Annual National Conference on Beach Preservation Technology in February of 2025, get out that page here.

To find out more about what the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association (FSBPA) is up to and how you can get involved, go here.

If you’d like to learn more about Resiliency Florida and how you can get involved in their good and important work, go here.

To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll become a subscriber if you aren’t already), go here:

https://floridaspecifier.com

If you’d like to get the word out about how you’re making waves (pun intended) in Florida’s environmental world, make sure you reach out to Brett, Ryan, Patrick, or Jamie at: 

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

If you’d like to advertise in The Florida Specifier, be sure to get in touch with Jamie Sheehan or Patrick Gillespie at:

[email protected]

[email protected]

A huge thank you goes out to Bagels and Biscuits for giving permission to use their music for the podcast.

This episode is a production of The Florida Specifier. Audio production and editing is by Karl Sorne and Dave Barfield at Lonely Fox Studios.

A special shout out goes to our very own Jamie Sheehan and Tracy Kistler for keeping us organized and moving forward.

In this episode, Ryan and Brett sit down at the Environmental Permitting Summer School to record with one of Florida’s premier experts in bioremediation, Nick Albergo, P.E., DEE, WRE, FASCE, FEWRI. Nick is a Professional Engineer who serves as a Senior Advisor to GHD Services, and also serves on the engineering faculty at the University of South Florida. He has been a pioneer in his field, including holding patents in the area of bioremediation and authoring or co-authoring over 185 publications in the fields of environmental and chemical engineering.

Nick serves as tour guide to Ryan and Brett as he provides a glimpse into the abyss of the science, risks, regulatory constructs, and remediation challenges that surround the “forever chemicals”, PFAS, PFOS, and PFOA. He pulls no punches as he addresses the federal government’s role in setting standards that are nearly impossible to meet; what he believes Florida can do to deal with those standards; and how he believes a risk-based approach may be the only feasible way forward.

Though not a cheerful subject, Nick is a captivating guest whose insights you won’t want to miss.

To visit GHD’s website, head here.

Check out Nick’s own University of South Florida’s College of Engineering here.

To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll subscribe if you haven’t already), go here:

If you’d like to get the word out about how you’re making waves (pun intended) in Florida’s environmental world, make sure you reach out to Brett, Ryan, Patrick, or Jamie at:

A huge thank you goes out to Bagels and Biscuits for giving permission to use their music for the podcast.

This episode is a production of The Florida Specifier. Audio production and editing is by Karl Sorne and Dave Barfield at Lonely Fox Studios.

A special shout out goes to our very own Jamie Sheehan and Tracy Kistler for keeping us organized and moving forward.

In this episode, Ryan, Brett, Jeff, and Pat get together and talk about the Environmental Permitting Summer School in Marco Island, now in its 38th year. They talk tips for a better time while you’re there, such as some breakout sessions that are anticipated to be particularly interesting, and some nearby restaurants worth checking out.  They also discuss Florida’s budget; the statewide stormwater rule ratification; and legal wrangling around ‘waters of the United States.’

To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll subscribe if you haven’t already), go here:

Herschel Vineyard goes deeper on the legal wrangling around the ‘waters of the United States’ and it’s worth a read here: https://floridaspecifier.com/issues/v45n4-issues/second-kick-of-the-mule-awaits-feds-ignoring-wotus-decision/

To read more about updates to the stormwater rulemaking process, go here: https://floridadep.gov/water/engineering-hydrology-geology/content/erp-stormwater-resource-center

To get the word out about how you’re making waves (pun intended) in Florida’s environmental world, make sure you reach out to Brett, Ryan, or Jamie at:

A huge thank you goes out to Bagels and Biscuits for giving permission to use their music for the podcast.

This episode is a production of The Florida Specifier. Audio production and editing is by Karl Sorne and Dave Barfield at Lonely Fox Studios.

A special shout out goes to our very own Jamie Sheehan and Tracy Kistler for keeping us organized and moving forward.

In this episode, Ryan and Brett take a trip down Memory Lane and wind up sitting down with water quality innovators, Mark Merkelbach and Vince Seibold with Sustainable Water Infrastructure Group (SWIG) to take a glimpse back on the original Florida Specifier article from 2020; how they got their start; the risk and reward of getting paid for performance, not by the project; and some other projects besides that famous one on Doctor’s Lake. We even get a preview of how they’re expanding their reach to cover all of Florida and expanding the number of pollutants they’re able to treat as well. You won’t want to miss this one.

To visit SWIG’s website and find out how they’ll help you meet your water quality challenges, head here.

To see more information about the Doctor’s Lake project as reported in the Specifier, head here.

To read the Florida Specifier article that introduced the work of SWIG to Florida’s environmental scene, go here.

To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll subscribe if you haven’t already), go here:

To get the word out about how you’re making waves (pun intended) in Florida’s environmental world, make sure you reach out to Brett, Ryan, or Jamie at:

If you’d like to advertise in the most popular issue of the year (The Marco Edition – July/August Issue), please reach out to Jamie or Patrick here:

A huge thank you goes out to Bagels and Biscuits for giving permission to use their music for the podcast.

This episode is a production of The Florida Specifier. Audio production and editing is by Karl Sorne and Dave Barfield at Lonely Fox Studios.

A special shout out goes to our very own Jamie Sheehan and Tracy Kistler for keeping us organized and moving forward.

In this episode, the Florida Specifier’s prodigal son, Ryan, is back with editorial board to discuss the May/June issue of the Specifier; the recent wild weather in north Florida; how the state anxiously awaits Governor DeSantis’ action on the budget; the Specifier’s evolving role in bringing breaking news and analysis as events happen; Jeff’s much-anticipated picks of the issue; and of course, how you can support and get involved and support the Specifier at the upcoming Environmental Permitting Summer School in Marco Island.

To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll subscribe if you haven’t already), go here:

To find out how Florida is planning to spend the Seminole Gaming Compact revenue, go here:

and here:

If you’d like to get the latest updates as they unfold on the unfolding legal issues surrounding 404 Wetlands Permitting and Waters of the U.S., go here:

To get the word out about how you’re making waves (pun intended) in Florida’s environmental world, make sure you reach out to Brett, Ryan, or Jamie at:

If you’d like to advertise in the most popular issue of the year (The Marco Edition – July/August Issue), please reach out to Jamie or Patrick here:

A huge thank you goes out to Bagels and Biscuits for giving permission to use their music for the podcast.

This episode is a production of The Florida Specifier. Audio production and editing is by Karl Sorne and Dave Barfield at Lonely Fox Studios.

A special shout out goes to our very own Jamie Sheehan and Tracy Kistler for keeping us organized and moving forward.

In this episode, a Ryan-less Specifier editorial board discusses Florida’s recently passed budget and its increased focus on water and environmental programs; the ratification of the statewide stormwater rule; the opening of Florida rules regarding Water Quality Credit Trading (WQCT) and Water Quality Enhancement Areas (WQEA); what the latest legal wrangling around 404 wetlands permitting means for the future; and of course, a sneak peek of the upcoming Environmental Permitting Summer School in Marco Island.

To read the Specifier online (where we hope you’ll subscribe if you haven’t already), go here:

To find out how Florida is planning to spend the Seminole Gaming Compact revenue, go here:

and here:

If you’d like to get the latest updates on the unfolding legal issue surrounding 404 Wetlands Permitting, go here:

If you want to know more about WQCT and WQEA rulemaking, head to the source here:

and here:

A huge thank you goes out to Bagels and Biscuits for giving permission to use their music for the podcast.

This episode is a production of The Florida Specifier. Audio production and editing is by Karl Sorne and Dave Barfield at Lonely Fox Studios.

A special shout out goes to our very own Jamie Sheehan and Tracy Kistler for keeping us organized and moving forward.