Miami-Dade County Environment
Nestled between land and sea, Miami-Dade County is blessed with a wealth of unique natural resources. Biscayne Bay, our "Central Park," is a playground for boaters, water skiers, windsurfers, fishermen, and at the same time, is home to the endangered manatee and an important estuary for many marine species.

To the west, the Everglades and Everglades National Park, one of the nation's most treasured and endangered parks, is a vast "River of Grass" dotted with hardwood hammocks, pinelands, cypress strands, and mangrove islands which support an amazing variety of plant and animal life.

Collectively, these natural resources, coupled with our tropical climate, make Miami-Dade County a great place to live.

Not surprisingly, as Miami-Dade County's population increased, so did the stresses and impacts upon our natural resources. Dredging and filling in Biscayne Bay, sewage contamination of the Bay and the Miami River, erosion and loss of some natural beaches, and potential contamination of the Biscayne Aquifer (our freshwater drinking supply) were chief among the many symptoms of previous uncontrolled growth.
   
Establishment of DERM
Acknowledging the need to establish a comprehensive environmental program for Dade County, the Board of County Commissioners created the Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) in 1974 to regulate and manage activities affecting our fragile environment.

From a meager beginning with a handful of employees, DERM is now considered one of the leading local environmental regulatory and natural resource management programs in the United States. To help accomplish this effort and chart our progress, the Department conducts comprehensive monitoring programs to track ambient air quality trends and water quality trends. Samples collected by DERM field personnel are analyzed by the Department's EPA approved laboratory.
 
Code Enforcement
The Department also has an aggressive enforcement program to ensure compliance with air and water quality standards and other provisions of Chapter 24 of the Miami-Dade County Code. DERM's Enforcement Division frequently pursues civil and criminal charges against violators. 
   
Resource Enhancement and Restoration 
To compliment the Department's pollution control and resource protection programs, DERM administers a number of resource enhancement and restoration programs.

DERM has one of the largest and most prolific artificial reef programs in the country. The program was established to enhance the region's fishery resources.

DERM was involved with the restoration of Miami Beach, the largest beach renourishment project to date in the United States, and has also recreated a beach dune system with a series of pedestrian crossovers. The Department's involvement with beach renourishment is on-going due to its responsibility for the maintenance of the restored beach.

For the past ten years, the Department has completed many projects to restore and enhance the natural and recreational values of Biscayne Bay. Bay restoration projects include the creation of wetlands by planting mangroves, Bay island enhancement, shoreline stabilization, and public access improvements to the Bay.

Remediation and Clean-ups
The Department has established remediation programs to clean up contaminated sites which threaten our groundwater supply. The Department receives support from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for its comprehensive clean up program which is the largest of its kind in the State. 
   
Our Staff
The staff at DERM is as varied as the programs which the Department administers. The staff includes engineers, chemists, biologists, geologists, hydrogeologists, environmental planners, and a host of field inspectors who are highly trained with educational backgrounds ranging from the junior college level to the post-doctoral level.