VoteWater Deep Dive: Should local concerns kill this clean-water project?

Work on a large stormwater treatment area to cut the flow of polluted water into Lake Okeechobee has been put on hold while the South Florida Water Management District reviews concerns that the project could cause flooding and airplane crashes.

In our latest "Deep Dive" we take a closer look at the proposed Lower Kissimmee Basin Stormwater Treatment Area, the specifics on how much pollution it could keep from entering the lake if built — and the local opposition that could prevent it from being built, or result in the project being moved to a different location where it might not be as effective.

It's a crucial question, one we're seeing pop up with other clean-water proposals: What happens when you have a good project, in a spot that’s perfect from a scientific/nutrient removal standpoint — but the nearby residents don’t want it?

Should local concerns derail a project that promises to deliver benefits to an entire region, even the whole of South Florida?

Can we afford to settle for less?

Check out the Deep Dive for more on this important subject.

READ OUR LATEST 'DEEP DIVE'

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK

Lake O back under 16 feet. But about that muck...

Drier conditions in recent weeks have caused Lake Okeechobee to fall back below 16 feet after mid-November rains raised the level of the lake — and the possibility of dry-season discharges.

Meanwhile, in a key Nov. 24 article on TCPalm, outdoors writer Ed Killer addressed the "elephant in the room" — or lake — by noting that muck is a major problem in Lake Okeechobee, and our options are relatively few and extraordinarily expensive.

But given the immense amount of nutrients that continue to flow into the lake from the north — and our seeming inability to stem the flow (see our "Deep Dive," above) — addressing the "oozy, viscous blanket the consistency of black mayonnaise" at the bottom of the lake becomes an ever-more pressing need. Yes, the cost will be high; but the cost of inaction may be far higher.

The first really bad, terrible, damaging bill of 2024 has arrived

Florida Legislative committees have been meeting over the past few months, and some legislation for the upcoming 2024 session has already been filed — including the horrendous House Bill 527, from Rep. Randy Maggard of Dade City. This bill amounts to an attack on wetlands, requiring any county or municipality that expanded wetland setbacks beyond the 25 feet required by the Florida DEP to actually acquire additional land via eminent domain. And it looks to be retroactive, meaning communities with the larger buffers already in place would need to scuttle them or try to obtain the land. This is preemption in all but name — and we'll have much more about this terrible bill and how you can register your displeasure soon.

ICYMI: 2023 was a big year, and we're looking to make an even bigger impact in 2024

In conjunction with Giving Tuesday (and thanks so much if you donated), we published our 2023 Impact Report, detailing where VoteWater made a difference over the past year. We stepped up our lobbying in Tallahassee and here in south Florida; we began tracking "dirty money" and dug deep with our "Deep Dive" series, we took the fight to "Big Sugar" and more. Your generosity powers all this work, so thanks! And if you haven't donated in a while, please consider supporting VoteWater so we can hit the ground running in 2024.

READ THE REPORT

BECOME A MEMBER

DONATE

VoteWater

3727 SE Ocean Blvd Suite 200-A Stuart, FL 34996 | (772) 212-2939