Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschDecember 22, 2016

A recent Weather Channel documentary alleging Lake Okeechobee “pollution” drew a storm of controversy among Florida scientists, farmers – and at least one U.S. Congressman. “Toxic Lake: The Untold Story of Lake Okeechobee,” an online video posted last week, gives what many call an extremely inaccurate and incomplete picture of the environmental circumstances surrounding Lake […]

Associated PressDecember 11, 2016

South Florida water officials are threatening to cancel a lease with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over management of a 144,000-acre wildlife refuge in the Everglades. The Miami Herald reports that the South Florida Water Management District owns the land occupied by the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, but the federal agency operates […]

Peter SchorschDecember 9, 2016

Florida’s Congressional delegation scored a win this week with the passage of a bill that will fund major water projects in Florida, including the Central Everglades Planning Project. Four Florida congressmen put out press releases Thursday touting their votes for The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act of 2016, which passed the House […]

Peter SchorschAugust 10, 2016

Sen. Joe Negron’s statesmanlike news conference demonstrated how deeply he cares about water issues. There’s no doubt his plan to buy 60,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee will be heralded in his hometown, but in all likelihood, the plan will be met with many roadblocks in Tallahassee. In short, the idea is politically untenable, costs […]

Phil AmmannJuly 15, 2016

For five generations, my family has called Clewiston home. We love our community, its people and our culture. We also care about our neighbors, which is why we have been concerned about the ongoing blue-green algae crisis to the north. Based on the scientific data, we know the algae is not caused by water from […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 12, 2016

It’s time to take action. That was the message Gov. Rick Scott sent to Florida’s congressional delegation in a letter Tuesday. The letter outlines what Florida has done to address the algae-bloom in South Florida, and calls on the delegation to take immediate action to make sure Florida received a federal emergency declaration. “Florida is […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 11, 2016

The question seems simple: What is causing the blue-green algae plaguing the Treasure Coast? Some put the blame primarily on Lake Okeechobee. Others say the discharges are just one of the many factors contributing to the algae bloom. The Treasure Coast Newspapers on Friday published a story called “Scientists agree: Lake Okeechobee discharges, not septic […]

Associated PressJune 30, 2016

Officials want federal action along a stretch of Florida’s Atlantic coast where the governor has declared a state of emergency over algae blooms. The blue-green algae is the latest contaminant in yearslong arguments over water flowing from Lake Okeechobee, which is critical to South Florida’s water supply and flood control systems. The Martin County Commission […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 29, 2016

The South Florida Water Management is responding to critics who say the district isn’t doing enough to stop the spread of blue-green algae. Blue-green algae forced Treasure Coast officials to close some Martin County beaches this week. The algae also have been spotted in waterways and canals across much of South Florida. A spokesman for the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 9, 2016

U.S. Sugar officials are pushing back after a guest editorial in a Southwest Florida newspaper said sugar producers are part of the reason why efforts to build reservoirs south of Lake Okeechobee have been postponed. “At no point has anyone representing U.S. Sugar ever said anything about opposing scientifically and technically proven storage projects throughout […]

Tag: South Florida Water Management District

Tom Rooney blasts Weather Channel documentary: Lake O is not ‘toxic’

Fight over Everglades refuge pits Florida against feds

Florida’s congressional delegation scores big WIIN, funding Everglades, water projects

Joe Negron shows himself a statesman, but his land buying plan is untenable

Janet Taylor: Harming Glades communities not the solution to water crisis

Rick Scott urges congressional delegation to take ‘immediate action’ to address algae problem

Lake O discharges or septic systems: Newspapers disagree over what’s to blame for the blue-green algae

Federal action sought for Florida coastline tainted by algae

SFWMD responds to criticism over blue-green algae blooms

U.S. Sugar pushes back over claims cane industry is to blame for postponed water projects