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Irela Bagué, Miami’s cheerful champion of South Florida water quality, has a plan to confront the toughest assignment of her career – that of spearheading the herculean task of restoring Miami’s iconic Biscayne Bay to health.
In June of 2020, after 18 months of meetings with local, state and federal agencies, academic institutions and community-based organizations, industry professionals and members of the public, the nine-member Biscayne Bay Task Force presented a comprehensive report and recommendations on how to restore the bay to health. As Task Force Chairperson, Irela Bagué shepherded the team through the process.
In January, shortly after releasing the Annual Biscayne Bay Report Card, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava named Bagué Chief Bay Officer, a post created in response to the steady drumbeat of scientific reports showing the bay to be in a steep decline, highlighted spectacularly by a massive fish die-off in August of 2020.
“We are thrilled to see the county prioritize Biscayne Bay by appointing a Chief Bay Officer. As a strong and experienced advocate for the bay, Irela will undoubtedly serve as a catalyst for Biscayne Bay protection and restoration,” said Rachel Silverstein, executive director of Miami Waterkeeper, a non-profit dedicated to protecting Miami’s water resources.
When Bagué says “The environment is the economy,” she’s hinting at the inseparable relationship between tourism — Miami’s primary economic driver – and Miami’s natural resources, the crown jewel of which is Biscayne Bay. She is well aware that to succeed in her mission, building consensus between environmentalists, elected officials and business leaders is paramount.
“Irela’s experience working with the public and private sectors throughout her career will be an asset as she convenes government, businesses, nonprofits and individuals with the goal of protecting Biscayne Bay and devising smart resiliency solutions,” said David Martin, CEO of Terra Group and a member of the Biscayne Bay Task Force. “The bay is one of our community’s greatest natural resources, so it’s imperative that we have a strong, forward-looking point person like Irela serving as our first-ever Chief Bay Officer.”
Bagué says her first year’s priorities include improving public education and advocating the importance of restoring Biscayne Bay, establishing a Biscayne Bay Watershed Management Board made up of governments, agencies and stakeholders, and launching critical projects in areas showing the highest levels of nutrient pollution. These projects include wastewater and stormwater improvement strategies and restoration of habitat in coastal areas.
One of the linchpins of the effort to save the bay is the proposed Septic Tank Plan of Action, a massive undertaking to convert the county’s 120,000 septic tanks to the Miami sewer system to prevent further seepage of pollutants into the watershed. The plan, released by Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava in December 2020, could end up costing more than $4 billion to implement. Bagué is working with County departments developing a number of options to pay for the project.
“Beyond county funding of the Septic Tank Plan of Action, we are evaluating traditional funding mechanisms such as General Obligation Bond proceeds and Special Taxing Districts, as well as Community Development Block Grants and appropriations from the State of Florida and federal grants, among others,” says Bagué. “For the model to work, all of us must participate and chip-in.”
Even so, homeowners on septic tanks will be required to make an investment in connecting to the sewer system. The first homes slated for conversion are those in the northern part of Miami-Dade County where king tides have had a dramatic impact. Bagué says she is exploring a variety of financing tools to assist homeowners with connection fees and is working with Miami’s banking industry through the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce to identify loan options. While there are many causes for the decline of Biscayne Bay, nutrient pollution delivered through stormwater runoff is one of the biggest problems. It’s important to note that stormwater systems in Miami-Dade
County are controlled by local jurisdictions. The County controls only the stormwater system in the Unincorporated Municipal Service Area (UMSA). Bagué is already working closely with municipalities to address the issue of stormwater runoff.
“We are already seeing cities implementing pilot programs such as installation of storm grates and new technologies,” she says. “For example, the City of Coral Gables is testing “smart sponge” technology that could filter out oil, grease, bacteria, heavy metals and fertilizer chemicals. They installed a boom to capture runoff into the Gables waterway and are determining the feasibility of this technology.”
Beyond the strategies outlined in the Biscayne Bay Task Force Report, Bagué hopes citizens will do their part to help Biscayne Bay recover. Specifically, she suggests decreasing the use of plastic bags and water bottles, picking up pet waste and reducing fertilizers and pesticides on yards. These pollutants can end up in Biscayne Bay through rain and wind.
Additionally, citizens can practice responsible boating, watch out for slow-moving manatees, avoid littering and participate in local beach clean-ups.“Many of us who live here, and those who visit Miami, are not conscious of how the everyday choices we make can impact our fragile ecosystem and quality of life,” says Bagué. “The public needs to be our partner and know that their individual actions can help improve the health of one of our most precious resources – Biscayne Bay.”
Irela Bagué is Miami-Dade County’s first Chief Bay Officer (CBO). Previously, Ms. Bagué chaired Miami-Dade County’s Biscayne Bay Task Force, served on the Governing Board of the South Florida Water Management District and Chaired the Miami River Commission. Before rejoining the County government, Ms. Bagué served as President and CEO of Bagué Group, a full-service consulting firm with over 20 years of experience in Florida with expertise in strategic communications, water policy, sustainability, climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. Ms. Bagué serves as Vice-Chair of the Resilience Committee of the Greater Miami Chamber.
