Page 18 - May-June-July Life In Naples
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by Congressman Curt Clawson (FL-19) my home town of Bonita Springs. It breaks my heart, and should
concern everyone, to see the filthy plume of dark brown, toxic waters
S outh Florida is experiencing an ecological and economic killing or driving away aquatic life – as it blankets South Florida’s
disaster not seen since the 2010 BP oil spill. It’s time for beaches, barrier islands, and coastal communities with dead sea
action. grasses, fish, and other creatures.
Today’s alarming situation is caused by record rainfalls – associated
with this winter’s strong El Niño conditions; a phenomenon typically Much of modern South Florida was formed when man drained
experienced every five years. Unsafe Lake Okeechobee water levels the Everglades for agriculture, below Lake Okeechobee. Later, the
have forced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) to discharge Herbert Hoover Dike was built, and natural flows were altered,
massive volumes of murky, nutrient-laden water into the Gulf of enabling the once unimaginable development that has occurred.
Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. It’s horrific to witness the damage Unfortunately, much of the unintended ecological consequences
these discharges inflict on our way of life in South Florida.This crisis of this development, including discharges from Lake Okeechobee,
provides an opportunity to address these water issues with a sense of are borne disproportionally by those who depend on or enjoy the
urgency – with the public will serving as a wind at our back. estuaries, the Gulf and the ocean waters in South Florida. We lack
the infrastructure needed to deal with large water flows in rainy
Two weeks ago, I introduced H.R. 4436, bipartisan legislation years, like 2016. The current practice of using the St. Lucie and
to provide $800 million of emergency funding to expedite repairs Caloosahatchee Rivers as the drainage pipes for the state should be
to the Herbert Hoover Dike that surrounds Lake Okeechobee, and ended – as soon as possible. It’s just not fair to the people or the
requiring completion of this critical project by December 31, 2020 critters affected.
– four to six years ahead of current schedules. My legislation would
provide the option of temporarily holding more water in the Lake SOLUTIONS
during periods of heavy rains.
By the year 2000, after a century of development, concern for
Last week, I introduced the Everglades Land Acquisition Act these problems culminated in the Comprehensive Everglades
of 2016 (H.R. 4793) to provide $500 million for the Department Restoration Plan (CERP) – a long term plan to permanently restore
of the Interior to purchase land south of Lake Okeechobee. Many safe, clean water flows throughout south and central Florida – and
experts agree that more storage, filtration, and a flow-way south from restore the Everglades. We will never completely restore these flows
the Lake are critical to move clean, naturally filtered fresh water to to what nature provided before development. But CERP is a major
the Everglades and Florida Bay, instead of dumping nutrient-laden step toward this goal. The original projected CERP costs, which
waters and toxins into Florida’s fragile estuaries and coastal regions. the state of Florida and the federal government share 50/50, were
This tragedy is deeply personal to me. I entered public service,
at the urging of my parents, to protect the water and beaches in
18 Life in Naples | May • June • July 2016
