January 2006

FIPR's Newest Board Member

Kevin Claridge, Environmental Manager – Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Bureau of Mine Reclamation (BMR), has replaced Sam Zamani as the state representative on the FIPR Board of Directors.

Zamani, DEP’s Administrator Phosphate Management Program, was appointed to the Board in 1998 and served two consecutive terms, making him ineligible for reappointment due to term limits. The seat he left vacant last year is a regulatory seat, typically filled by a representative of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Claridge, appointed by the Governor, as are all FIPR Board members, is head of the DEP BMR Homeland Branch Office. The office shares mandatory phosphate reclamation responsibilities with the BMR Tallahassee Office, assists the BMR Mandatory Nonphosphate, NonMandatory Reclamation, and Financial Responsibility Sections, oversees state lands, conservation easements, and deed restrictions on lands associated with phosphate mining, assists local governments, and coordinates with other regulatory entities on transitioning mined lands to other land uses.

“There was a gap in the transition of lands behind the dragline, both in a regulatory and land planning fashion” said Claridge recently. “The Bureau of Mine Reclamation is having to work with various local landowners and regulatory agencies in transitioning outstanding mine related regulatory responsibilities and often explaining historical mine uses to interested parties.”

Science and experience continues to increase what we know about reclaiming uplands, wetlands, streams and all of their associated functions needed to make land useful for water quality and quantity protection, habitat preservation, and industrial or development purposes, he said. The black and white conditions set out in reclamation planning, especially with old reclamation requirements, may not be the best fit for present intended land use or overall management of the land.

FIPR’s research is critical to the evolution of how to reclaim and manage land, he said, adding that he is glad to be on the board and is excited about helping to guide FIPR research.

Claridge holds a BS in Environmental Studies from the University of North Carolina at Asheville; an MS in Biology/Plant Ecology from the University of Memphis; and a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration from the University of South Florida.

Members of FIPR’s Board of directors are appointed by the Governor to three year terms. By law, there must be a representative from the state university system, a major environmental group, a state representative and two phosphate industry representatives

It meets quarterly in public and makes final decisions on what research will be funded after reviewing recommendations made by three panels of experts that review research proposals made to FIPR.