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Drew WilsonSeptember 15, 2017

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Thursday that it plans to recommence discharges from Lake Okeechobee tomorrow to slough off the excess water dumped into the lake by Hurricane Irma. The Corps said it will begin pushing “as much water as practical” through the spillway at Port Mayaca Lock & Dam on the east […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 1, 2017

Senate President Joe Negron on Friday said progress on a southern reservoir outlined in legislation passed this year, addressing South Florida’s water quality, is getting a kick-start. “…The Army Corps of Engineers intends to expedite the federal approval process … The Corps has determined the best option for achieving southern storage is not to seek […]

Scott PowersMay 25, 2017

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Florida lawmakers led by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings and Mario Diaz-Balart are trying again to give the Army Corps of Engineers the authority to go forward with Everglades restoration projects without having to have Congress sign off on each one. The ‘‘Everglades for the Next Generation Act,’’ was filed as […]

Scott PowersMay 15, 2017

Democratic U.S. Rep. Darren Soto said Monday he intends to sponsor legislation to protect the Kissimmee River with a designation under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Such a move, if it were to be approved, would enact broad protections for the river, which starts in Osceola County’s Little Lake Tohopekaliga and, at least in […]

Associated PressApril 4, 2017

Dry weather has caused the water level in Lake Okeechobee drop below the minimum range targeted for South Florida’s drinking water supply. The Sun Sentinel reports that if the dry spring becomes a summer drought, water restrictions could follow. On Monday, officials said the lake was at 12.46 feet (3.8 meters) above sea level, which […]

Peter SchorschMarch 27, 2017

Joe Negron’s controversial plan to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges is not going over well with federal officials and lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Last week, many of those involved in Everglades restoration called for Florida to stay the course on federal restoration projects; many were critical of the Senate President’s plan to build a reservoir south […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 13, 2017

The co-chairs of Florida’s congressional delegation, Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, and Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings will hold a bipartisan delegation meeting on some of the state’s most pressing water issues. The meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 8:30 a.m. in 2020 Rayburn House Office Building, in Washington, DC. The delegation will discuss red tide, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 22, 2016

It’s time to focus on the water. That was the message three Republicans running in Florida’s 19th Congressional District sent to Southwest Florida voters during a forum hosted by the Lee Republican Women’s Club and the Republican Women of Cape Coral Federated. The forum was held hours after Cape Coral reopened its beach, which had been […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 3, 2016

The Army Corps of Engineers is slowing the releases from Lake Okeechobee; not stopping them, despite repeated calls from lawmakers and local communities to do just that. The Corps announced Thursday it would reduce the flows from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. The reduction is expected to begin this weekend. However, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 27, 2016

Sen. Bill Nelson urged Southwest Floridians to call state lawmakers and tell them to put Amendment 1 money toward land purchases, a move he said would help ease the effect of Lake Okeechobee releases. “If you can take that dedicated source of funding and, instead of using it on salaries, go spend it on buying […]

Tag: Army Corps of Engineers

Army Corps to resume Lake O flows Friday

Joe Negron: Army Corps will speed up Lake O work

Federal Everglades bills would give Army Corps advance authority to proceed

Darren Soto to push bill to declare Kissimmee River ‘Wild and Scenic’

Lake Okeechobee water level drops below targeted range

Feds say ‘stay the course’ with Everglades, rejecting Joe Negron’s land buy

Vern Buchanan to co-chair Florida Delegation meeting on water issues

Francis Rooney, Chauncey Goss, Dan Bongino talk water quality during CD 19 forum

Army Corps of Engineers to reduce flows from Lake Okeechobee

Bill Nelson, Curt Clawson promise to help communities affected by Lake O discharges