Nobody is doing more for the Everglades or the problems in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries than Gov. Rick Scott -- and frankly, nobody gets less credit for it from the people who will benefit most. And the governor announced more Wednesday: his intention to propose additional funding in his 2017-2018 budget to help local communities deal with the fetid, algae-choked bodies of water in Martin, St. Lucie and Lee counties on a more personal basis.
Scott's proposal will include new funding for a 50/50 matching grant program with local communities surrounding the estuaries affected by algae blooms resulting from the frequent discharges of Lake Okeechobee.
If approved by the Legislature, this voluntary program will provide funding to encourage residents to move from septic tanks to sewer systems in order to curb pollution currently entering the rivers and canals that affect both estuary systems. This proposal will also support local communities to help build wastewater systems to meet the increased demand for wastewater services.
Said Scott in his written announcement, “Every day, millions of gallons of water continue to be discharged into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after years of the federal government failing to repair the federally operated Herbert Hoover Dike. While the state has continued to step up and invest in important restoration projects to help South Florida waterways, it is clear that more work has to be done. It is up to all of us -- the state, Florida’s local communities and the federal government -- to work together on long term solutions to improve the quality of our water. That is why I am going to commit state funding and match it with local contributions so we can work together on efforts to clean up our waters. Septic tank runoff is a major contributor to the pollution in these water bodies and I look forward to working with the Legislature to fund efforts to curb it.”
Rising Florida Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, who two years ago frowned on forcing septic tank inspections on residents, sees the governor's announcement as good news. "Personally, I'm grateful," Negron told Sunshine State News. "Voluntary septic-to-sewer conversions are part of solving the puzzle long-term of what's killing our waterways and the governor gets it. But make no mistake, algae blooms are visible in Lake Okeechobee, I saw them for myself. Every time the Corps releases water, they transport a giant algae bloom to our estuaries."
Negron, whose district lies at the heart of the worst algae-bloom damage, said he is convinced more water must be stored south of the lake and is looking for science-based answers. He said he will convene scientists as soon as possible this summer to discuss 1) what the best solution is to end the discharges, 2) is it feasible and 3) how much it's likely to cost."
Brian Lapointe, research professor and marine biologist at Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, cheered Scott for including a 50/50 septic-to-sewer conversion in his proposed budget. Lapointe has been on the forefront of studies that identified the heavy concentration of fecal coliform in South Florida waters.
"Our governor keeps coming through," Lapointe told Sunshine State News Wednesday. "I'm hoping this will lead to the adoption of a statewide conversion-to-sewer policy. I feel really cheered by this news."
Florida has invested more than $688 million in Everglades restoration over the past five years and will continue to invest up to $200 million a year under the Legacy Florida bill the governor signed into law this year. The State of Florida has invested nearly $2 billion in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and $1.8 billion in providing clean water to the Everglades. To date, the federal government is $880 million behind in its share of CERP funding. Read here.
Governor Scott is currently working with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management District on the specifics of his proposal. More details, including specific state funding amount, will be released at a later date, the governor said.
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith
