By 1990, the Environmental Permitting Summer School had firmly planted its flag on the beach—figuratively and literally. The now-annual conference returned to Marco Island for its fourth consecutive year, offering a packed schedule, an ever-expanding faculty, and sessions that tackled Florida’s most pressing growth and permitting issues.
Gone were the flamingos of ’89, but the laid-back coastal vibe remained—this time captured in program art featuring a beach chair, palm tree, and a very serious-looking briefcase resting in the sand. It was a nod to the unique duality of the event: serious policy work in paradise.
Networking was no longer a perk—it was a defining feature. Attendees came prepared not only with notebooks and questions, but also with proposals and partnerships in mind. It was here, year after year, that agency staff and private consultants found common ground, and some of Florida’s most pivotal environmental legislation was born out of these conversations.
1990: 4th Annual EPSS
The t-shirt design for this year is currently missing from the archives. If you happen to have one stashed away in your closet or photo album, let us know—we’d love to complete the story.