Where the state of Florida has failed, the EPA must step in   Where the state of Florida has failed, the EPA must step in —————————— Summer weather has arrived in south Florida with record temperatures and the threat of an active storm season on the horizon. Unfortunately, those of us who are residents of the Sunshine State have come to associate the next several months with an annual hazard of another kind — toxic algae. Algae blooms that proliferate in Lake Okeechobee during the hot, rainy season are discharged to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries and the Lake Worth Lagoon with disastrous consequences. The environmental and economic impacts of the resulting “Lost Summers” are bad enough — and we’ve yet to fully address the human health risks that these blooms bring. Despite the known and unknown dangers, the state of Florida’s approach to monitoring harmful algal blooms and issuing public alerts has been inadequate, characterized by fragmented and reactive measures. Floridians deserve better. Where the state of Florida has failed, it’s time for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to step in. Friends of the Everglades joined the Center for Biological Diversity, City of Stuart, Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, Florida Wildlife Federation, and Calusa Waterkeeper in a formal request filed today to the EPA that seeks new standards for cyanotoxins in Florida under the Clean Water Act. We’re committed to advocating for overdue legal solutions to protect the environment and public health, and we’re proud to join in this formal action. Read the Petition   P.S. You are receiving this message because you are a supporter of our affiliated 501(c)4 VoteWater. To remain on the list receiving important action alerts and updates from Friends of the Everglades, sign up now. Friends of the Everglades was founded in 1969 to preserve, protect and restore the only Everglades in the world. VoteWater's mission is to fight political corruption in Florida by galvanizing public resolve to end the systemic pollution and mismanagement of our waterways.     VoteWater | 900 SE Federal Hwy Suite 325 | Stuart, FL 34994 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice