Kelly Hayes
U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist joined a pool of local leaders Saturday to rally against the red tide crisis facing coastal Pinellas County, as well as reinforce cries for help from the state.
The rally took place just days after St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman pleaded with Gov. Ron DeSantis for state help to address the crisis. As of Wednesday, Pinellas County has collected at least 676 tons of dead fish caused by the algae bloom. The fish kills have been concentrated around St. Pete.
A handful of local leaders joined the wave of activists with the Sierra Club and SunCoast Surfrider Foundation Saturday, including Kriseman and mayoral candidates Darden Rice, Ken Welch and Pete Boland, who helped organize speakers for the event. State Rep. Ben Diamond and former Obama administration adviser Eric Lynn, who are both running for Florida’s 13th Congressional District, also joined the rally.
St. Pete came out today to rally against red tide. Our community cannot and should not combat this crisis without state support. We call on @GovRonDeSantis to deploy resources and declare a state of emergency. pic.twitter.com/9iuhxfqRiE
— Charlie Crist (@CharlieCrist) July 17, 2021
When we work together, we have the power to protect and restore our environment. I’m so proud that our community is coming together to stand up to corporate polluters and demand immediate action on red tide from our state leaders. pic.twitter.com/stw330JQLb
— Ben Diamond (@BenDiamondFL) July 17, 2021
The rally started at the bottom of the St. Pete Pier, with participants holding signs reading “Stop Feeding Red Tide,” and “Expose Piney Point.”
The most recent status update provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission showed that Pinellas County had the highest concentrations of the algae that cause red tide in the state, with high levels around St. Pete’s coastal area.
The status update also details reports of fish kills in the waterways of Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties, as well as potential respiratory irritation caused by the algae bloom in Pinellas and Sarasota counties.
Just rallied against red tide. I appreciate everyone's passion and engagement. We have the power to change the direction of this state, to modernize Florida, and to protect our natural environment. pic.twitter.com/Us0mIZ7zi2
— Rick Kriseman (@Kriseman) July 17, 2021
On Friday, Kriseman met with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Pinellas County to talk about resources for red tide as he still waits for an emergency declaration from the Governor.
Kriseman said Pinellas County agreed to use its emergency contractors to add more boots on the ground and boats in the water for St. Pete. This move will help alleviate the city’s burden of pulling employees from other departments to help with cleanup, including sanitation workers, parks and recreation employees, and engineering.
Because of the need to pull staff, other projects like potholes, tree trimming, mowing and lot clearing are being delayed.
All three parties agreed to hold weekly joint meetings at the senior administrative level to address the crisis.
“Pinellas County has the capability to provide more boots and boats. FDEP has the ability to provide funding. Our three agencies will cooperate to ensure resources and funding are available to the City of St. Petersburg,” Kriseman wrote in a Facebook post.
The FDEP has pledged at least $900,000 to the county, which will be shared proportionally with the city in accordance with our expenses to date, Kriseman said. At a press conference earlier this week, Kriseman estimated the city spent around six figures so far — an expenditure not planned in the budget.
10 comments
Zhombre
July 17, 2021 at 2:56 pm
I’m sure the red tide was intimidated by this show of resolve.
Kim O'Connor
July 17, 2021 at 3:59 pm
Why did a done fly over the marchers?
Ron Ogden
July 17, 2021 at 4:30 pm
“. . .to stand up to corporate polluters. . .”
Political rhetoric. How come you aren’t going to stand up to Moroccan caliphs for polluting Tampa Bay with all their Sarharan dust (a known red tide food)? How come you aren’t going to take some action to slow the over-development of St. Petersburg, which produces only more sewage from the waterside towers, like the one where Charlie Crist lives. How come you didn’t budget for this kind of expense? Red tide has been around for ever.
When, Mayor Kriseman, did you communicate to your Democratic friends on the Hillsborough County Commission your fears of Piney Point? Show us–or can the political rhetoric and pick up a rake.
Tom Palmer
July 17, 2021 at 4:37 pm
Also, where’s our governor? Oh, yeah he’s in Texas making sure the dark-skinned folks don’t’ invade our pristine country.
.
Ron Ogden
July 18, 2021 at 8:10 am
I’m against anyone “invading” our country, regardless of skin color. You see, the color of the skin doesn’t matter to me like it does to you. If someone wants to come in legally, welcome, I say. I don’t care if they are purple skinned with polka dots. But “invade”? No.
zhombre
July 17, 2021 at 7:17 pm
Okay, so you are implying with all the subtly of a ball peen hammer, that the illegals pouring over the southern border in massive numbers are no real threat and that DeSantis, and the folks who support him, are racist. Posts like this are why I regard you as a dick.
Tom
July 17, 2021 at 8:50 pm
Palmer is a tool.
Crispy Crist is grasping at straws.
He still hadn’t been held accountable for building code revisions he signed off on.
This Governor has strong credibility on environment. The state agency is heavily working and funding clean up. It’s a tough issue and he needs to re address it going forward, which the state is doing daily. Hurricane, Surfside tragedy, Cuba, border and extremists
Dems. This whiz kid Gov is up to the challenge.
Tom
July 17, 2021 at 8:53 pm
Palmer is a tool.
Crist is grasping at straws.
He still hadn’t been held accountable for building code revisions he signed off on.
This Governor has strong credibility on environment. The state agency is heavily working and funding clean up. It’s a tough issue and he needs to re address it going forward, which the state is doing daily. Hurricane, Surfside tragedy, Cuba, border and extremists
Dems. This whiz kid Gov is up to the challenge.
Tom
July 17, 2021 at 8:53 pm
Crist is grasping at straws.
He still hadn’t been held accountable for building code revisions he signed off on.
This Governor has strong credibility on environment. The state agency is heavily working and funding clean up. It’s a tough issue and he needs to re address it going forward, which the state is doing daily. Hurricane, Surfside tragedy, Cuba, border and extremists
Dems. This whiz kid Gov is up to the challenge.
Tom
July 17, 2021 at 8:53 pm
Crist is grasping at straws.
He still hadn’t been held accountable for building code revisions he signed off on.
This Governor has strong credibility on environment. The state agency is heavily working and funding clean up. It’s a tough issue and he needs to re address it going forward, which the state is doing daily. Hurricane, Surfside tragedy, Cuba, border and extremists
Dems. This whiz kid Gov is up to the challenge.
Palmer is a tool
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