Red Tide Near Fort George Inlet Is Another Warning Sign: Jacksonville Needs to Move Beyond Coal

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JACKSONVILLE, Florida — The Florida Department of Health in Duval County has issued a health warning associated with the appearance of red tide near Fort George Inlet. Red tide is a harmful algal bloom that’s deeply concerning for Jacksonville and everyone who cares about the city’s waterways, wildlife, fisheries, and public health.

Fort George Inlet is located near JEA’s Northside Generating Station, a coal plant counted as one of the largest fossil-fuel power facilities in our region. Northside burns coal and petroleum coke, along with other fuels, and sits in an environmentally sensitive area. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) points to fossil fuels as a major contributing source to nitrogen buildup, which can produce red tide blooms.

Red tide toxins can kill fish and other marine life and can cause respiratory irritation in people when they become airborne. People with asthma and other respiratory conditions can be particularly vulnerable.

“It would be a mistake to underestimate the impact of red tides on the health of adults and children in general, and in particular those with lung problems like emphysema and Asthma. With warming seas and continued reliance on coal-fired generators, red tide has become an increasingly significant public health concern—harming health, tourism and our quality of life,” said Jeffrey Goldhagen, MD, MPH, a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Florida-Jacksonville, and former Director of the Duval County Health Department. 

There is more to understand about what is happening in Fort George Inlet. The Sierra Club and Duval Affordable Clean Energy Coalition are calling for scientists and public health experts to investigate the air and water quality conditions surrounding the Northside Generating Station, impacts of changing temperatures on waterways, and cumulative health and safety impacts to the local communities and ecosystems near the plant.

“Jacksonville should not wait for another environmental crisis before we act. When you have a sensitive coastal ecosystem next to a major fossil-fuel facility, you have an obligation to ask questions, look at the data, and protect the people and wildlife who depend on that environment. Jacksonville has cleaner options. We should be moving toward them—not continuing to invest in the fuels of the past,” said Suzanne Sapp, Senior Campaign Organizer with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Jacksonville.

Sierra Club and the Duval Affordable Clean Energy Coalition are calling on JEA and the City to:

• Accelerate the transition away from coal and petroleum coke at the Northside Generating Station.
• Increase monitoring of air and water quality around the facility and nearby waterways.
• Make environmental and emissions information easier for the public to access.
• Fully consider public health and environmental impacts in JEA’s energy planning.
• Expand clean energy and battery storage.
• Give Jacksonville residents a meaningful seat at the table as decisions about our energy future are made.

The Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign and the Duval Affordable Clean Energy Coalition will continue working with physicians, scientists, community leaders, environmental advocates, and Jacksonville residents to better understand the health and environmental issues facing our community and to push for a cleaner, healthier, and more affordable energy future.