for mosquitoes because they are a threat to public health. There are many mosquito-borne illnesses they can pass on to humans and other animals, therefore we want to mitigate their populations and we're only spraying whenever we have justification and that could come from our surveillance data or from our inspectors who go out and are looking at different larval production sites every single day. We don't have a spray schedule because everything we do is based on data that we collect. So it's based on the number of mosquitoes that we find in our traps every day. It's based on what the inspectors are finding out in the field. If they're finding a lot of breeding they'll obviously treat then, but we don't have a set schedule because everything is based on data that we find. We don't do any individual spray requests. You can always submit a request for spray, a request for a property inspection, or report any standing water that you have around your house and we'll come send out an inspector. They'll come look at that area, see if it's breeding, and then based on the data that they find, we'll see if that area is eligible for treatment, but we don't do treatment based on special events. We're spraying right at sunset because dawn and dusk are the most active times for mosquitoes, so in order for our treatments to be the most effective we obviously want to treat when the mosquitoes are most active and we're going to be able to mitigate the population best at those times. Welcome to the Environmental Protection Commission meeting for Thursday, October 22nd. If everyone can please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and invocation given by Commissioner Cameron Cepeda. Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning. We thank you for who you are. You are great and mighty God. You are worthy to be praised. And this morning, we pray a very special blessing on the EPC employees. What an amazing job they have been doing. The gifts and talents you've given them. Lord, we love them so much and you love them. And we thank you for their, you've given this gifts and desires to protect our environment, Lord. And it's not only protecting our environments because the heart they have also to protect the people in our community. And we pray a special blessing over them this morning. We pray for a long and healthy lives. Lord, bless their families and everything that concerns them. And we thank you and we ask you to bless this meeting this morning. In your holy name. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Commissioner Cepeda. We have a roll call, please. Hagan, Bowles, Cameron Cepeda. Present. Cohen, Miller. Here. Myers. Here. Wollstall. Here. Thank you. You have a quorum. Thank you. We have no changes to the agenda. Recognitions. Any public comments? Can we have a motion for approval of the consent agenda? So moved. We have a motion by Commissioner Cohen, second by Commissioner Wollstall. Please record your vote. Commissioner Cameron Cepeda. Motion carries six to zero. Apparently that was recorded as changes to the agenda. So I'll move approval of the consent agenda. Okay. We have a motion by Commissioner Cohen, second by Commissioner Wollstall. Please record your vote. Motion carries six to zero. Can you check to see if Commissioner Cepeda is working? She said it wasn't working this morning, earlier she said. Okay. We'll move right now into our regular agenda. Have nothing for the public hearing. Good morning. Good morning, Commissioner. Good morning. We'll move right into 9A, the request for approval of our 2026 Pollution Recovery Fund grant application. And I believe Chris Pratt is here to bring those forward. Good morning, Chris. Good morning. Good morning, Commissioners. Thank you, Janet. Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Chris Pratt, EPC staff. I'm here today to present EPC staff recommendations for the 2026 Pollution Recovery Fund grant projects. We will be asking for a vote of approval for the recommended projects at the end of the presentation. EPC's Pollution Recovery Fund provides grant money for projects to restore polluted areas, mitigate the effects of pollution, and to otherwise enhance pollution control activities within Hillsborough County. PRF has provided over $9 million for environmental projects in Hillsborough County since 1987. PRF is funded solely by penalties obtained through enforcement action against persons and entities that have violated EPC rules. Any citizen, organization, or governmental entity can apply for pre-op grant funding, provided that all project activities and environmental benefits take place within the geographic boundaries of Hillsborough County. PRF is governed by EPC Rule Chapter 1-9. The priorities EPC Chapter 1-9 include remediation, restoration of a polluted area, mitigation of the effects of pollution, pollution control activities to prevent or minimize future pollution, and educational programs promoting environmental stewardship and pollution prevention. This slide shows oversight of the grant program by EPC staff for transparency and accountability. PRF grants are reimbursable grants. Invoices are submitted along with receipts and proof of payment and are reviewed by EPC Project Management staff, EPC's Finance Department, and County Procurement before funds are reimbursed. Regular status reports are required and staff will perform site visits as applicable to document the progress of the project. At project completion, a final report is due, and a site visit is performed to ensure work has been satisfactorily completed as per the terms of the agreement. The graphic on this slide shows the PRF grant application process for 2026. Starting with the upper right segment in red, EPC's Executive Director evaluates the fund at the beginning of the calendar year and opens the grant application cycle. Moving clockwise, we accepted applications between February 23rd and May 1st. All projects were then reviewed for legal sufficiency by the EPC Legal Department from May into June. From August into September, EPC staff performed a technical view of all the projects, and later in September, all projects were reviewed by the EPC Executive Director and senior staff, which made the final decision on which projects to recommend to the Commission for funding. That brings us to today, which has re-approval to fund the recommended projects. For 2026, the maximum amount of funds allowed to be requested was $100,000 for each individual project. We received 12 project applications, and we are recommending 11 of the projects to be funded. One of the applicants requested to withdraw their application. So the total amount requested by the 11 applicants is $929,126 from the Pollution Recovery Fund. And now I would like to individually present to you the 11 projects that we're requesting for your approval for funding. Community education platform to characterize contamination of risk from OSTDS, or septic failure. This project will install cameras and sensors in 10 neighborhoods that are prone to flooding and also have high concentrations of septic tanks. The equipment will monitor flood conditions and water quality to identify high-risk areas and create an interactive platform to engage community members about environmental risks and health impacts. The applicant is the University of South Florida, and they are requesting $100,000. Water quality real-time monitoring in Tampa Bay. This project will fund the Tampa Bay Observing Network for one year by maintaining five real-time water quality and meteorological stations in Tampa Bay. Station maintenance includes 10 site visits at each station. The applicant is the University of South Florida, and they are requesting $100,000. Avian blood parasite diversity is a bioindicator of habitat recovery in Hillsborough County. This project will compare three restored wetland habitats to three natural or reference wetland habitats in Hillsborough County using blood parasite diversity of common wild birds as a biological indicator of ecological recovery. The applicant is the University of South Florida, and they are requesting $97,097. GIS-based community stewardship and strategic site selection for stormwater pollution prevention. This project will utilize Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, to identify and prioritize locations where nature-based solutions such as stormwater green infrastructure can most effectively intercept runoff, reduce pollutant loading, and improve watershed health within the Tampa Bay watershed. The applicant is the University of South Florida School of Geosciences, and they are requesting $86,369. Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of PFAS and related contaminants in Tampa Bay biota. Purring polyfluoro alkyl substances, or PFAS, do not break down naturally in the environment and can bioaccumulate in fish and wildlife. This project will evaluate rates of bioaccumulation and biomagnification of PFAS and related contaminants in selected invertebrate and vertebrate species in Tampa Bay. The applicant is the University of South Florida College of Marine Sciences, and they are requesting $99,478. Turning the Tide, Tampa Bay Cleanup and Restoration Project. This project will organize targeted cleanups in the Hillsborough River and surrounding areas. Materials for the project include grabbers, bins, wheelbarrows, gloves, nets, and other equipment. The applicant is Keep Tamp Bay Beautiful, and they are requesting $40,450. Floating Wetlands, Restoring Water Quality in the Hillsborough River. This project will construct 996 square feet of floating wetlands along the Hillsborough River near Waterworks Park to add green infrastructure and remove excess nutrients from the water while accommodating existing infrastructure and waterway usage. The applicant is Urban Rivers, and they are requesting $97,783. Phase 2, Wetland Restoration at Learning Gate Community School. This project is Phase 2 of the Wetland Restoration Project at Learning Gate Community School's Hannah Road Campus. Involves excavation and removal of invasive plant species and accumulated muck, creation of a literal shelf, and installation of native plants. The applicant is Ecosphere Restoration Institute Incorporated, and they are requesting $90,000. Tampa Bay Seagrass Restoration. This project will install up to three acres of seagrass planting units in Tampa Bay near Apollo Beach to improve water quality, reduce nutrient loading, and reduce sediment pollution. The applicant is Aquatech Equal Consultants, and they are requesting $99,000. Scalable Framework for the Nature-Based Remediation of Hyperutrophic Lakes. This project seeks to develop cost-effective, nature-based solutions towards remediating impaired hyperutrophic water bodies using Lake Thadona-Sassa as a model. These solutions include nutrient source reduction via construction wetlands and nutrient export through the harvest of productive invasive biota. The findings will inform development of a nutrient management plan for Lake Thadona-Sassa and serve as a model for other impaired water bodies in the county. The applicant is the University of South Florida, and they are requesting $85,449. Ruskin Inlet Mangrove and Substrate Restoration Phase 1. This project will conduct a preliminary benthic and aquatic resource survey, apply for permits, and provide a design plan to address sediment accumulation, invasive plant growth, and eutrophication within Ruskin Common Good Park Lagoon and Marsh Branch. The applicant is C and Shoreline LLC, and they are requesting $33,500. So the staff recommendation is we are requesting today the commission-approved funding for the 11 projects listed here, totaling $929,126 in pollution recovery funds. We are requesting that the commission authorize the EPC chair to execute the approved PRF agreements with the grantees in substantially the same format as the forum PRF agreement drafted by the legal department. And we are requesting that the commission authorize the EPC chair after staff consultation to execute future amendments that involve non-material changes or reasonable deadline extensions as may be necessary. And I'll be happy to answer any questions that you may have at this time. I don't see anyone in the queue, so could we have a motion? Move approval. Second. We have a motion by Commissioner Cohen, seconded by Commissioner Wollstone. Please record your vote. And thank you, staff, for your presentation. Yes. Yeah. Motion carried, six to zero. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you. Thank you, Chris. Commissioner, our next report, I'll be giving that. That is the 2026 EPC annual report. And if Hillsborough County staff can bring that up on the screen, that would be great. Is it in full screen view for everybody else? Because it's not for me. So, okay, great. Awesome. Yep, there it is. Okay, well, good morning, Commissioners. It is with pleasure I present to you the EPC. Is it right? Looks right up there. Okay. Good morning, Commissioners. It's with pleasure I present to you the EPC 2026 annual report. Next slide. As many of you know, EPC was created in 1967 to regulate activities that contribute to environmental pollution in our county. Next slide. As a reminder, the EPC is governed by the Board of County Commissioners, serving separately as the EPC Commission. I want to take a moment to thank our Chair, Commissioner Myers, our Vice Chair, Commissioner Cohen, and all of you, Commissioners, for your leadership, your continued support of our agency, and your commitment to the residents of Hillsborough County. Next slide. At EPC, our mission, vision, and values provide the framework to ensure we remain focused on our goals. We utilize them throughout our daily interactions with the community, and we evaluate them annually as a part of our strategic planning process, which we do twice a year. Next slide, please. Since previously achieving the Governor's Sterling Award, EPC continues to apply Sterling management principles in our pursuit of continuous improvement. This performance-based model supports agency commitment to achieving its specific goals and objectives. Transparency and accountability are foundational to our core values, as reflected in the use of key performance measures, customer and workplace surveys, and collaborative partnerships with community through business and environmental feedback groups. EPC remains dedicated to enhancing performance, increasing efficiency, implementing cost-cutting measures, and delivering high-quality service to our customers. Next slide, please. We serve as Hillsborough County's leading agency for environmental stewardship and resource protection, promoting environmental quality and public health by safeguarding our air, water, soil, and property, and by protecting the community from excessive and unnecessary noise, where we can. Next slide, please. EPC protects our local environment in various ways. citizen environmental concerns are investigated with sources, inspected, and action taken as appropriate. Routine monitoring of our air and water quality is conducted to ensure their health and keep the public informed. Permit applications for pollution activities are reviewed for rule compliance, and our compliance teams verify that permitted sources are operating in accordance with environmental regulations. Enforcement action is sometimes necessary to resolve significant noncompliance. Next slide. Agency-wide, we have 15 delegated major environmental programs from various federal, state, and local agencies that have entrusted their programs to EPC, and this is the list. These delegations often include one-stop permitting, which saves time and money, not only for citizens of Hillsborough County, but also our sister agencies. Next slide, please. One of our primary goals is to be responsible with our fiscal resources, and we consistently operate within our budget each year. In addition, approximately 40% of our operating budget comes from outside sources. This includes fees that EPC collects from applicants to help offset the general fund, and these fees have not been raised since 2018. Additionally, in 2026, EPC has 36 audits evaluating our operational and fiscal performance. We use these audit results to further evaluate and improve our programs. Next slide, please. Commissioners, here are agency metrics covering all divisions for the last 12 months. Staff remained active, issuing over 2,000 authorizations, while also evaluating many other determinations or exemption requests. As a local agency, physical inspections of sites are considered paramount when processing applications or responding to inquiries. We performed over 3,700 field inspections, ranging from large-scale industrial operations to rural wooded areas assessing soil or wetland impacts. We continue to stress compliance assistance for minor violations rather than formal enforcement, processing over 1,000 actions to obtain compliance without assessing penalties. In addition, our water and air monitoring sections collected thousands of samples for evaluation. Next slide. EPC's extensive air monitoring network provides around-the-clock monitoring of primary air pollutants. The data collected helps to determine our compliance with federal air quality standards and is used to set standards for rulemaking. Since 2012, we have experienced unhealthy days less than 2 percent of the time annually, and we are currently in compliance with all federal air quality standards. This past year, we received outside grant funding to replace three outdated trailers, strengthen our operational efficiency, and support the maintenance of our air monitoring network. And as many of you know, there was a sulfur fire not long ago, and obviously Harbor Island was in a shutdown capacity at that time, and all of that hit onto our air monitoring stations. So they're very, very important. Next slide, please. EPC's water quality monitoring program began data collection over 50 years ago, and the program compromises 261 total stations throughout Hillsborough County. Our water monitoring network is among the most extensive in the nation with respect to longevity, sampling density, and the number of parameters tested. This enables us to better address local water quality issues promptly when they arise, as we did with Piney Point. We had sampled the day before Piney Point occurred. Each year, the Bay's Water Quality Index report card is updated to show the water quality trends for Tampa Bay. The report card on the right illustrates the bay-wide water quality trends from 1974 to 2005, with the most recent years shown at the top. The water quality indicated in orange is poor, and green is good. The bay has dramatically improved since EPC began monitoring water quality five decades ago. Next slide. EPC's Waste Division continued to make strong progress in redevelopment, cleanup, and compliance. We executed five new brownfield agreements supporting the redevelopment of 26 acres, and completed three brownfield projects, contributing to more than $3 million in increased property value. We also supported the assessment and cleanup of more than 450 petroleum-contaminated sites. And through our compliance efforts, we restored 356 regulated tank sites and 468 SQG-related businesses to compliance. Together, these efforts are helping protect the environment and support redevelopment in Hillsborough County. And just to let you know, our SQG is working with a team to work on the dengue fever issue and to provide education and to formulate a plan moving forward. Next slide, please. The Wetlands Division plays a vital role in safeguarding the region's natural resources by establishing and enforcing local standards for protection, maintenance, and responsible use of wetlands and other surface waters. Over the reporting period, the Division completed over 2,000 environmental reviews. These include wetland delineations, minor work permits, and development service reviews, all aimed at ensuring environmentally responsible development and land use. In addition, the Division issued many authorizations and actively responded to environmental concerns from the community, conducting over 480 complaint investigations. To support informed decision-making and promote regulatory compliance, the Division also facilitated 774 pre-application meetings with landowners, developers, and other stakeholders. And I can't tell you how valuable the pre-application meetings are. As a part of its ongoing conservation efforts, the Division successfully secured over 30 acres of land through conservation easements, permanently protecting these areas by conveying them to EPC for long-term stewardship. This is twice the acreage of last year. Next slide, please. EPC maintains a certified environmental laboratory, processing about 40,000 water, air, and sediment analyses a year. The lab is certified by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program Institute. And all analyses are tailored specifically to EPC's various programs, providing smooth and efficient service. The laboratory has been operating for over 50 years, generating valuable, trending data on the state of the environment in Hillsborough County. The on-site lab saves staff effort, offers quick turnaround times, and is available as needed to support special projects or investigate sampling. Next slide. Commissioners, you just heard about the Pollution Recovery Fund and approved over $9,900,000 to go out to these environmental projects, which actually help with environmental pollution. The Pollution Recovery Fund provides grant money for projects to mitigate the effects of pollution. It is funded solely by penalties obtained through enforcement. I've run through this. You've heard it already, but this is for the public's edification. Since 1987, the PRF has provided over $9 million in grant funds for over 180 environmental projects. These funds are often leveraged with other funding sources to help pay for much larger projects. The map shows the 10 currently active PRF projects, with five projects in the upper left being countywide. EPC received 11 new project proposals in 26, and you just voted them in so they could be funded. Thank you so much. Next slide, please. EPC emphasizes citizen engagement, as the public often acts as a second set of eyes and ears identifying environmental concerns within our community. As you can see from this summary, we responded to over 1,400 environmental complaints last year, several of which were referred directly from your offices, Commissioner. We stress timely response as a priority and maintain staff on-call 24-7 every day of the year, including weekends and holidays, to better serve the public. Next slide. In 2024, EPC staff once again participated in the third-party workplace survey administered by Energage. This slide highlights our overall workplace experience score, showing our staff's continued satisfaction and support, including an overall increase since the prior survey. This result stands six points above comparable organizations. The EPC workplace culture results, in turn, demonstrates a strong sense of employee engagement, as supported by consistently positive feedback from staff. We are proud that at EPC, we care about our staff, and our staff cares about the work that they perform. Another workplace survey is scheduled for this fiscal year. I actually think it's in the next month. Next slide, please. In 2024, we also used an outside consultant to survey our customers in order to gauge their satisfaction with our operational divisional services, our website, and EPC overall. Nearly 93% of responses rated EPC as either good or excellent. Overall, satisfaction has remained high over the last several years. The next customer survey cycle is anticipated for this fiscal year. Next slide. The environmental business and feedback groups continue to provide us with useful advice, and we continue to listen to the ideas and concerns of both our citizens and the regulated community. We met with both feedback groups again this year. Next slide. As you are aware, the population in Hillsborough County continues to grow, and that's a great thing. The growth stresses our natural resources, however, and has significant impact on the local environment. Not only has the county population increased by nearly 57% since the year 2000, or about 600,000 people, it is projected to further increase by 400,000 residents by 2050. EPC continues to implement efficiencies and cost-cutting measures to help address the impacts from population growth. In fact, since 2000, EPC staff has actually reduced by 18%, all while maintaining a high level of service to the citizens of Hillsborough County. Next slide. EPC staff reviewed several major infrastructure projects this year, focusing on supporting growth and public safety, while minimizing impacts to wetlands and surface waters across the county. Staff also conducted corresponding investigations related to dust and noise complaints during construction activities. The Tampa Airport Project provides measures to alleviate or eliminate wildlife hazards to air carrier operations, and is necessary to ensure safety for daily operations at the airport. The Big Bend Road expansion will improve safety and capacity along this travel corridor, while the new fire emergency management warehouse will allow for enhanced emergency response. The new 26-mile South Hillsborough pipeline will carry up to 65 million gallons per day of additional drinking water to the fast-growing southern Hillsborough County. And EPC's review reduced wetland impacts by about 47%. Overall, these reviews help reduce environmental impacts by 3.6 acres of wetlands, all while continuing to support Hillsborough's growth needs. Next slide. Commissioners, we look forward to 2027 with high expectations of ourselves, and we will strategically plan to address all known challenges. Balancing impacts from population with its effects on the environment, coupled with the uncertainty of some funding sources continue to pose challenge as we move forward, as it does for the local governments as well. We will remain adaptable, looking always to efficiently maximize resources and maintain flexibility. Next slide. As we conclude this presentation, we are proud to highlight a few long-term milestones that occurred over this past year. EPC has historically engaged in many initiatives, delegated actions, and outreach in our efforts to protect and inform citizens of Hillsborough County. This year, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the artificial reef and petroleum cleanup programs, along with several other agency milestones marking more than two decades of continuous achievement. And as we look to this coming year, we're excited to recognize EPC's 60th anniversary and celebrate all the progress within the county since our inception in 1967. Next slide. Commissioner, this is probably one of the most important slides. Our success is only possible through the dedication of our staff, working together for the good of our environment and our community. EPC prides ourselves in our wide range of highly qualified and talented staff, and I wish to personally thank them for all of their efforts in making 2026 a successful year. I watched the Yay Awards yesterday, and the last speaker brought tears to my eyes, but they were all amazing. And every year that I watch those awards, I know that those leaders, I feel very comfortable as I come into my golden years that we have bright, young, talented people, and we have those people coming into the EPC. Since I've been there, we've turned over staff. Obviously, people retired at 60% so far, and I'm just always amazed at how they're engaged and how they're working to download the knowledge of the staff that's been there, and I just want to personally thank them. And, Commissioners, we thank you. Without your support, none of this would be possible. And that concludes my report, unless you have any questions. Thank you so much. Thank you for an excellent report, annual report. Commissioner Wachter, you've been recognized. Just very briefly, you brought up population growth. Has your department or agency been included by the Planning Commission on any of the urban service area expansion? That would probably be a question for Mike Lynch. We're going to the Planning Commission awards, and we're receiving an award from our air division, I think, next week for community monitoring. But I know I have not personally been working with them. I see the signs everywhere for urban expansion. I'm in Fanonisassa, and I'm like, oh, I guess they're moving the line here, and they're moving the line there. So, I'll reach out to Melissa Zornita, but I'm not really sure how integral we have been working on the urban expansion, but we're happy to be a part of that solution. Well, I just, you know, that'll bring new impacts to your agency. It will. And it would seem intuitive for you guys to be able to have a preemptive role rather than a reactive role in identifying maybe some of those areas, especially in light of the Planning Commissioner's letter of March that openly acknowledged that the Planning Commission lacks, quote, the institutional knowledge to properly administer an urban service area. It would seem like any advice and help that they could get would be helpful. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. We have a lot of institutional knowledge, and I'll be sure I link arms with Sam El Robby and others at the agency, and we're happy to work with not only Melissa Zornita, but Adam Gormley, and maybe put together a team. But thank you for that recommendation. And just one more thing, Madam Chair. You and I have gone through, I didn't realize that the Thanonasasa expansion area went so far north, close to Lake Thanonasasa, where all of those, all of that land flows down into the lake, which you and I have discussed at length because of Mr. Kill and how polluted, I mean, if people knew how polluted that lake was, it would blow their mind. And the current costs to rehabilitate that lake are insurmountable. I don't think that you'd ever find the money. And I just wonder what expanding too close to that might exacerbate an issue. Just, I'm not an environmental scientist. I'm just saying. Correct. That lake is, it's under FWC. They come out, I live on that lake, and it is a very polluted lake. I see people fish in that lake, and I'm like, I see the warnings that come out on the blue-green algae. And I had a dog that actually got very, very ill from drinking water from that lake. So they are doing some efforts to clean it up, but it's almost insurmountable at this point. But I think there's 200 lakes in Hillsborough County. There's a lot of pollution in all these different lakes, not just Lake Thanonasasa. But we'll be happy to look at that. And I'm, you know, frankly, I'm not even really sure where the urban service line is going in Phanonasasa. But I plan to look it up. I just drove by the sign. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Can we have a motion to receive the annual report, please? So moved. We have a motion by Commissioner Walters, second by Commissioner Miller. Please record your vote. Commissioner, I'm going to do my executive report now. Motion carries six to zero. Over this a little bit. There we go. Okay, go ahead, Janet. Five-two and eyes of blue. Got to always lower this thing. Sometimes it's way up here. Thank you, Commissioner. If the staff of Hillsborough County would pull up my slides, please, that'd be great. These are just a few quick slides. This is on. Yes. Commissioners, EPC staff attended Commissioner Wustle's town hall meeting on September 23rd at North Lake Civic Center. Next slide, please. So we can see our meeting. I'm not even sure it's full. Here we go. Can we have the slides full range? Okay. We'll just go with that. How about that? Okay, great. Next slide, please. Staff participated in several professional engagements throughout September and October, including the annual Florida Local Environmental Resource Association's FLARA Conference, the Women in STEM Workshop, and the Associations of Vapor Intrusion Conference. These events allow our staff to collaborate with other environmental professionals across the broader community. I'd also like to congratulate our Waste Division Director, Stephanie Wickham, on being appointed as the FLARA Vice President. Next slide. On September 30th, the Wetlands Division permitting staff held a workshop for marine construction contractors. That thing was packed, and that's a good thing, so it's a very educational thing. To highlight available tools and discuss permitting process efficiencies. In addition to marine construction contractors, attendees included permitting counterparts from Port Tampa Bay and from the Florida DEP. And I do want to thank staff. That was a Herculean effort, and they did a great job presenting. Next slide. EPC volunteered alongside Hillsborough County staff and Commissioner Bowles at Feeding Tampa Bay on September 25th. Together, the team packed over 5,000 pounds of food to help provide assistance for those facing hardships in our community. On Saturday, September 26th, EPC staff led three cleanup crews at Temple Crest Park and Rowlett Park along the Hillsborough River. The team collected a total of 23 bags of trash. We are always grateful for opportunities to give back and support our community, and thank you, Commissioner Bowles, for reaching out to our team. They really enjoyed that, so if you do it every year, count us in. Next slide, please. Next slide, please. Ramon, Air Division, Trent Viscardo, GIS, and Geneva Harlan, Water Monitoring. Thank you so much for helping us. We really appreciate it. It's awesome. On October 7th, Dr. Kibriab, I'm going to get this name wrong. Sam, what's the name? What's his last name? Okay, Dr. Kibriab, we'll leave it at that because there's another long name. From USF's Patel College of Global Sustainability, met with our wastewater division staff to discuss water monitoring and water quality topics, and that will be of interest to graduate-level resource classes, and Sam has dedicated time and staff time for the future to help them. We have three people that have gone in through our agency through that master's program for sustainability at Patel. Next slide, please. On October 20th, I was honored to present the Woman in Agriculture Award at the 25th Annual Harvest Awards at the county fairgrounds. What an amazing event. That just is so amazing. It was an uplifting ceremony celebrating the agriculture community and the people who support them. Next slide. Okay. Can you come down here, Commissioner? Donna Cameron Cepeda, come on down. I want to give you a hug. We want to recognize you. I have to tell you, in my 64 years of life, I don't think I've ever met a sweeter, kinder, more loving person than yourself. Now, let's talk about your accomplishments and who you are, because she's done a wonderful job, and I really appreciate you being the chaplain for all the prayers for EPC staff. My brother, you've been amazing. So I'm going to take this opportunity to recognize Donna Cameron Cepeda, who has served as our Hillsborough County Commissioner, District 5, on the EPC board since 2022. She is originally from South Carolina, and I love South Carolina. It's one of my favorite states, and she's a U.S. Army veteran. She's also a licensed and ordained minister who has touched lives through her pastoral and public service, including her work on the Commission of Human Trafficking, the Hospital Authority, and the Juvenile Justice Board, among others. Commissioner Cepeda led our inspiring invocations before the start of every EPC meeting, and I really sincerely thank you for that. It means a lot. I've also had the pleasure of meeting Commissioner Cepeda's husband, Carlos, and they are both so kind, sweet, giving community people. And I've talked to you before. I talked to you the day after the election. And Dottie Berger was my mentor, my dear friend. May she rest in peace. And one of the things, you know, she would tell you is when God closes the door, he opens the window so you can fly. She went on to create the Joshua House and do many other things. I mean, you may come back into politics, but I actually think your calling, no offense, is maybe at a higher level to really help people and love people and share your gifts. I really wanted to say that. So thank you, supporting EPC, for the work that you do. Where's Laura or Elaine? And we want to thank your staff and Isabella Pike and Sarah Fernandez. We got them some cards and gifts from EPC staff. And we have flowers for them, too, that you can take back to them. And we gave you our EPC bird so you can remember us. And I got you and Carlos a nice dinner. So it's EPC staff. Everybody pitched in. And so we have your cards here. But we love you. And I'm going to let you end the program with anything you'd like to say. This EPC is absolutely amazing. Every one of you, all the employees are just absolutely amazing. I mean, I really learned so much about, you know, the EPC and all that you do. I mean, everything, like when I first got here, I remember I wanted to take care of that red tide situation. And I met with Sam Al-Rabi. And he was telling me it's really been around since the time of Columbus had noted all these things. And so it's just been amazing. And I'm so proud of you all. And I love you all so much. And I'm sure I'll see you around. And, yes, and I love you all dearly. There's so much, really, I could say. And, you know, I just love you all. Thank you very much. And thank you for these beautiful gifts. Thank you. Don't be a stranger. Yes. Thank you. You know where we are. Thank you. Janet, if you and Commissioner Cameron Cepeda can come and take a picture. Congratulations. And, Commissioners, before I conclude our remarks, one of our attorneys went over to the city of Tampa. They paid. It was an offer she couldn't refuse. They made her an offer she could not refuse. And we love her to death and we'll miss her. But we have a new attorney with us, and that's Marie O'Donnell, who graduated from Stetson Law School. And guess what? But she interned at EPC, as well as our previous attorney, not only was interned at EPC in the water division, worked in the wetland division, got her law degree, became a lawyer, and obviously worked with her for several years, but now is at the city of Tampa. So, Maria, will you stand up? There she is. Okay. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes. They kind of sometimes, they'll alternate. Rick may go or Andy may go. But, you know, Maria's learning, so she's there now and doing our brownfields and everything. So, I think the last slide, I don't even think, not sure we need it, but I think that concludes our meeting. The next meeting is December 17th, and I talked to our chairperson, and if there are no action items, we're going to defer until 2027. So, hopefully, we'll see what occurs, but I doubt we'll have that meeting. We'll meet you all in 2027, and hopefully we'll see you in a few weeks in November. So, have a happy Thanksgiving. And before you leave the mic, Jen, I'm going to ask if the interns can come up and tell us from what college they're from, your interns. That would be great. We could grab a picture with them as well. Yes, as well. Come on up, interns. Who wants to go first? How about Leslie? Oh, she's in the back. Okay, come on, Trent. Good morning. Trent plays in a band. What's your band's name? My band's name is Trainor. I play the drums. But, hi, guys. I'm Trent. This is a pretty cool experience to have. I study geography and GIS at USF. I focus in cultural and urban geography, but anything in the field of environmental studies is also really interesting as well. But I like how supportive you guys are, like all of you of the EPC. I've seen nothing but yeses today. Thank you. Thank you, guys. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. I'm Geneva Harlan. I study at the University of South Florida, and I study environmental science and policy with a minor in GIS. GIS, too. That GIS is important. Okay. Good morning. Good morning, everyone. My name is Leslie Ann Lewis-Saint. I go to the best school in the world, go Bulls. I go to USF. I'm studying environmental science and policy, and my concentration is in sustainability. Thank you. Good morning, everyone. My name is Dita Shraman. I also go to the best school in the world. I study biomedical sciences and public health at USF. Wonderful. Thank you, all. Yes, come on down. What a way to end our meeting with these young people, young leaders, intern students. Okay. Exactly. Do we have any future agenda items? Anyone? Okay. Hearing none, the meeting is adjourned. Thanks, everyone. Yes, sir.