Sea turtles find their way by following the reflection of the moon and stars on the water. Artificial lights discourage nesting females and pose a threat to hatchlings once they try to find their way back to the sea. Last year, city officials said they would have the lights in the core area shielded by this Tuesday. The work is not done yet, said Rob Walsh of Volusia County's environmental management department. But now it's a work in progress.
City officials blame it on the county.
County officials wanted the city's light fixtures to be in place before they could say if they are good enough for turtles, Lemke said. My position was that I didn't want to spend the taxpayers' money on something that might have turned out unsatisfactory. Lemke also said the city got involved in special events and other projects. The city started by replacing three tall lights on the north end of Boardwalk, Lemke said. The new lights shine on only about 12 inches of the beach, as opposed to last year's few hundred feet, said Bill Sorrentino, a county environmental enforcement officer.