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Politics

Scott at the White House Pushing for Full Dike Funding, Expanded Water Monitoring

June 28, 2018 - 6:00pm

Gov. Rick Scott met with White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney Thursday to continue advocating for full funding for the repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee. 

The governor also spoke about the importance of the federal government quickly approving the EAA reservoir project, which will hold more water south of Lake Okeechobee. For decades Congress has failed to address the dike or EAA water storage. Scott has fought for them, believing they ultimately will help minimize harmful water releases to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers and Estuaries that can cause algae to bloom.

To immediately help the growing issues related to algal blooms, Scott announced that at his direction, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has partnered with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to identify additional funding for more water flow monitoring stations along the Caloosahatchee River. These devices will provide water managers with new data to assess conditions in the river and the origin of water following into the system. They should help water mangers determine the best course of action to help our communities.

Scott said, “Today, I met with the White House on the importance of quickly providing full funding for the repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike and approving the EAA Reservoir project. Our focus remains on limiting the harmful impacts from Lake Okeechobee water releases by the federal government, and after decades of congressional inaction, our communities are facing this problem once again. The state continues to take proactive and unprecedented steps to help solve this problem because our families deserve action and clean water.”

Here's what other officials had to say:

DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein: “The health of Florida’s coastal estuaries and the waterways that feed them are vital to our state’s environment, economy and communities. DEP continues to actively monitor our waterways and these additional stations will help us and our local partners respond to changing conditions. DEP remains committed to partnering with our local communities to better protect our waterways.”

SFWMD Governing Board Member Jaime Weisinger: “Additional monitoring means better information for making informed decisions. These monitoring stations will help provide new flow data to DEP and further aid in the state’s mission to restore and protect the Caloosahatchee Estuary.”

Mayor of Sanibel Kevin Ruane: “The City of Sanibel and our west coast partners are very pleased that the DEP is moving forward with installation of flow monitoring devices within the Caloosahatchee watershed. On average, more than 50 percent of the flow that the Caloosahatchee Estuary receives comes from the watershed. The information provided by the flow monitoring devices will help resource managers identify where stormwater runoff is coming from and determine the types of projects and best management practices needed to address these flows in the future.”

In addition to the water flow monitoring stations, three additional monitoring stations are being installed through a joint agreement that was approved by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners last week to expand water monitoring efforts in the downstream Caloosahatchee watershed. These monitoring stations will be located below the Franklin Lock along the freshwater tributaries of the Caloosahatchee Estuary. Funding for this project is being provided by DEP, SFWMD, U.S. Geological Survey and Lee County. 

Coastal communities in Florida are already seeing the impacts. Last year, the governor signed legislation to expedite the EAA Reservoir and secured an additional $50 million for the Herbert Hoover Dike, bringing the state’s total investment to $100 million.

Also last week, Scott directed DEP to issue an Emergency Order urging the Corps of Engineers and SFWMD to take emergency action to help redirect the flow of water out of Lake Okeechobee south.

Comments

The chickens are coming home to roost in Ricky's attic! Ricky you eviscerated the environmental policy staff at state WMD's, directed your staff not to mention climate issues, now when you need every single vote you are going to be hurting in the St. Lucie River basin, which has generally elected Republicans. Big Algae is going to cost you at the ballot box!

So, SSN's again eliminating factual comments they don't like (like my discussing Rick Scott's cutting of WMD budgets, including water quality monitoring to save a few property tax dollars) . . . . . . . . . PATHETIC . . .

Sorry Frank. Your comment at 7:21 pm was caught up in the Spam filter. It should be there now.

Gee, really --> pushing for funds for expanded Water Monitoring . . . . . . . who do you think CUT water management district funding, including for water quality monitoring over the past seven years . . . . . Rick Scott, that's who . . . . . . . why didn't we have a continuous record of water quality monitoring data for Northwest Biscayne Bay when we started to experience explosive algal growth recently, resulting in difficulty knowing the causes of why that was happening . . . . . . BECAUSE OF RICK SCOTT, and his universally recognized idiocy of cutting all water management district budgets and the laying off of hundreds of employees at the districts, for no cause except to tout a very small property tax break (e.g. ~$25), that's why . . . . . . . . . . . Scott has not been a friend to the environment or our human health in Florida; instead, he's been the cause for many of the detrimental policy issues and results we're now experiencing . . . . . . . . what the districts could have done with those lost revenues to deal with the issues that we're now experiencing and having to pay the piper for . . . . . . . . . . PATHETIC . .

Scott want to strengthen the Duke to hold more water. This will kill the lake. And conservatives cheer.

maybe if this carpetbagger was around more often, half the state would not be on fire for non-controlled burns gone wrong that he approved on our dime. Take your sorry can back to Kansas *** clown...

this carpetbagger flip flops more than a mullet...

Rick Scott's policies gutting the agencies, abandoning enforcement and eliminating water quality monitoring at key areas over the last eight years has led to the deplorable conditions now occurring in our waters. Yet, he asks for more public money to fix a problem he was largely responsible for.

Rick Scott has an election to win, so now he cares about discharges from the lake and algae blooms fouling the water on both coasts. I'm sure his message to the white house was simple: You want me in the senate? then help me out here. After the election he will willingly assist Trump in screwing up as much of the environment for as much personal profit as possible. Trump cares about the environment less than Scott, but winning an election, THAT he cares about

Guys like YOU "Willy", could even screw up a "free" lunch ! (Try to get over your visceral hatred of Trump, Scott, and Republicans in general....it's only making your "sickness" chronic...)

Rick was good for Florida at a time when we need a financially responsible Dad figure. He will be good for America after he pushes Old Man Nelson into his long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - long - over due retirement, Vote for Rick Scott.

Just to remind everyone, Gov. Claude Kirk died back in 2011 . . . . . . . .

GOVERNOR SCOTT OUT SHINES MANY!!! SURE WISH I WERE LIVING IN FLORIDA AND AT SOME POINT I WILL. THANK YOU GOVERNOR SCOTT!!!

ORC, you don't live in Florida but you understand our most important economic driver is tourism which depends entirely on the environment we have. When you move here, you will want to avoid certain areas where the stench is so bad you must stay indoors. The algal sludge that has repeatedly invaded the St Lucie estuary, fouling the water and killing everything in it except the algae itself is a longstanding problem that Mr. Scott has chosen to not only ignore, but to instead side with polluters who cause it. The only thing near as slimy as the green sludge is Rick.

Thank you for being a positive Leader of Florida with great results Governor and Senator Scott

Comments are now closed.

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