Big Sugar wants to turn south Florida water into a political football. That’s not natural.
In the last decade, South Florida water has threatened to poison thousands of ordinary citizens. Toxic algae bloom has smothered rivers, streams and estuaries. Fish have died and people have been sickened from the water, not from the lack of it.
In 2019, for the first time in years, massive polluted discharges from Lake Okeechobee (Lake O) have not poisoned our waterways thanks to U.S. Rep. Brian Mast and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), both of which fought to keep water levels in Lake O low in season.
Please see below
What’s Big Sugar’s reaction? They are not concerned with polluting adjacent waterways that serve thousands of people. They see water as vital to their agricultural needs and the profit those lands generate.
Big Sugar wants to conduct a multi-year study of the Lake O situation. This will result in a major delay in the building of the new EAA reservoir that will help relieve the need for Lake O discharges. They also want water levels in Lake O maintained year-round to irrigate their crops.
We cannot allow our water to become an unnatural political football.
Act today. Send an email to Governor DeSantis, U.S. Rep. Mast, and the SFWMD Board asking them to reject the Big Sugar scheme to delay major steps that will protect thousands of Florida citizens from annual pollution in their waterways.
Water is Florida’s greatest natural resource. Use it, don’t abuse it.
Governor Ron DeSantis (850) 488-7146
GovernorRon.DeSantis@eog.myflorida.com
U.S. Rep. Brian Mast (772) 403-0900
Brian.mast@mail.house.gov
SFWMD Governing Board Members for our region:
Cheryl Meads (561) 682-6262 cmeads@sfwmd.gov
Charlette Roman (561) 682-6262. croman@sfwmd.gov
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch (561) 682-6262 jthurlowlippisch@sfwmd.gov
Opinion Columns for more information:
By Maggy Hurchalla: South Florida needs to stand up to Big Sugar
By Tyler Treadway, TCPalm.com: U.S. Sugar Corp. vs. Army Corps: Who’s right about operating Lake Okeechobee levels?