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St. Petersburg Resident Receives National Sierra Club Award
SAN FRANCISCO Sept. 23, 2000 St. Petersburg resident Peter Belmont was
among those receiving national awards from the Sierra Club this year.
Belmont received a Special Service Award from the organization for his work with the
Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Belmont has served as Legal Chair and Wetlands Chair for the Florida Chapter for more
than 15 years. He has been involved in a wide range of legal cases that have addressed
wetlands protection, wetland mitigation, cement plants, phosphate mining operations,
seaports, subdivisions, dairy farms, highways and bridges, wildlife habitat, and
comprehensive growth management plans.
Belmont also has been involved with the Save the Manatee Club, a group fighting for
statewide protections for the endangered Florida manatee; and Habitat for Bears, a
coalition that is trying to protect the Florida black bear from loss of habitat due to
development and mortality on highways.
His work also has resulted in adoption of a historic preservation ordinance, improved
downtown redevelopment, and neighborhood preservation in St. Petersburg.
"Peter is highly respected and valued throughout the state as a committed,
intelligent and knowledgeable environmental advocate," said Judy Hancock, Public
Lands Chair for the Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Belmont has previously received several awards for his work, including the Florida
Wildlife Federation Award, the Save the Manatee Award, the Historical Preservation Award,
and the Red Howell Legal Award from the Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club.
The Sierra Club, which was founded in 1892 by John Muir, is the countrys oldest
and largest grassroots environmental organization. It currently has more than 600,000
members. For more information on the Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club visit their website at , http://www.sierraclub.org/chapters/fl/.