Every taxpayer in Florida should write their governor and complain that he is absolutely wasting their money. The algae in the big lake has been studied to death, even by its very own task force, and the polluters have long since been identified.
The governor may be thinking he is a brilliant tactician: he is spending millions on a [useless] study, which he thinks will appease the environmentalists, but at the same time by doing nothing he is avoiding raising the ire of Big Sugar and other farmer polluters, and cracking down on septics in urban areas around the lake. Five million would fix a lot of septics.
But the governor is fooling no one but himself.
So the money will fund a few scientists looking for innovative Band Aids while the polluters continue doing what they have always done which has resulted in the mess we have today.
Read the original article here at Florida Politics.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
State allocates $5.2M for Lake O study aimed at reducing algal blooms
The money heads to the South Florida Water Management District and researchers at FAU.
By
on
Gov. Ron DeSantis says the state will spend $5.2 million to study water quality in Lake Okeechobee, with the intent to cut down on harmful algal blooms.
That money will be shipped to the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI).
“The two grant recipients will be using the funding to implement enhanced nutrient removal technologies, water quality monitoring and data sharing and work to improve the relationship between environmental conditions and nutrient dynamics in Lake Okeechobee,” a Tuesday release from the Governor’s office read.
“Lake Okeechobee continues to be at the center of many discussions surrounding water quality in Florida, and rightfully so,” DeSantis added in a statement.
“Lake Okeechobee has far reaching impacts on Florida’s natural resources. The allocation of more than $5 million in grant funding will ensure our state’s environmental leaders can continue enhancing our ability to monitor and protect water quality and marine life for years to come.”
The funding recommendation comes from the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Blue-Green Algae Task Force (BGATF).“As the largest lake in the southeastern United States, Lake Okeechobee serves as a vital component of our ecosystem,” said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein.
“Our state’s ability to support marine life, strengthen aquatic habitats and bolster water quality are all reliant upon our ability to preserve the health of Lake Okeechobee and the recent allocation of grant funding will further support research efforts aimed towards preventing harmful algal blooms.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is charged with managing Lake Okeechobee water levels. Ahead of a rainy season, regulators attempt to keep the lake at a lower level to prevent flooding.
Keeping the water level low can lead to discharges from the lake, which can often contain toxic and foul-smelling blooms. The discharges end up spilling into other waterways and spreading.
The SFWMD will use $3 million to try to remove phosphorus from a nearby watershed. Phosphorus contributes to algal blooms in Lake Okeechobee….
Ryan Nicol covers news out of South Florida for Florida Politics. Ryan is a native Floridian who attended undergrad at Nova Southeastern University before moving on to law school at Florida State. After graduating with a law degree he moved into the news industry, working in TV News as a writer and producer, along with some freelance writing work. If you’d like to contact him, send an email to ryan.t.nicol@gmail.com.
Politically, it’s impossible to change the status quo of Lake Okeechobee. We may blame
the Kissimmee Valley ranchers and “Big Sugar” but they aren’t the major contributors to the lake’s algae problem–IT’S PEOPLE WANTING TO LIVE IN FLORIDA! In the1960’s, I fur-trapped the Fakahatchee Strand in Collier County, a few years later as a Wildlife Officer I patrolled the Kissimmee area before Disney set up shop and later patrolled the Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechobee while the Kissimmee Ditch was being dredged. Over the past sixty-odd years I have seen the world of my youth paved over and its water FLUSHED down the sewer of so-called progress. The I-4 corridor crowd and the southeast and southwest coastal populations control the political machine, and that’s why things aren’t likely to change, and it’s not Governor DeSantis’ fault…..
It’s absolutely disgusting to hear there is going to be another study on algae blooms on Lake Okeechobee. It’s been studied for decades. Every study has come up with the same analysis.
It isn’t going to change. This is a classic example of insanity.
The Blue Green Algae Task Force just completed a study. It’s probably collecting dust just like like all others.
The funding from all the studies could have made remarkable impact clean up. Talk is cheap.
Sadly, De Santis is nothing more than a copy cat of the president’s administration. They don’t care one bit about the environment. The only thing he sees is money and how that may work for him. (Never the people). But maybe he was elected by big sugar industry? He is as corrupted as they come. He ran on the issues of protecting water quality everywhere in our state and not one useful dollars has made a difference.