Can political will be infectious? We’re about to find out.
This Tuesday, the City of Stuart made a strong stand towards protecting the health of its citizens. Five out of five city commissioners voted to move forward with drafting a complaint to sue the Army Corps of Engineers over their announced 2020 Lake Okeechobee management strategy. The drafted complaint will come up for a new vote during the next commission meeting scheduled two weeks from now on January 27th.
The Army Corps responded by breaking from traditional operational management. In an effort to bring down water levels in Lake O while the risk of toxic algae was low--thereby avoiding larger, more harmful releases later in the summer--discharges began early in the year, well before the start of the rainy season. The releases, usually an event mourned by downstream communities, were greeted with unusual optimism as hopeful Floridians everywhere held their breath and waited to see if the change in normal lake operations would be effective.
It worked. The operational flexibility used by the Corps last year brought indisputable relief to the St. Lucie and the Caloosahatchee, while also benefiting the ecological health of the lake itself.
That success can be built on. Right now, Florida's taxpayer-funded stormwater treatment areas and water conservation areas south of the lake have unused capacity that could be taken advantage of to clean more water. Had the Corps used that operational flexibility to start discharges even earlier, the water that was flushed to the St. Lucie last February could have instead been cleaned and redirected south to benefit the health of the Everglades and Florida Bay. There was room for improvement but we were on the right track.
It was enough to hasten Stuart City Commissioner Merritt Matheson into action. The lawsuit he proposed drafting at Tuesday’s meeting was backed by U.S. Rep. Brian Mast and earned the support of his fellow commissioners, showcasing the shared spirit of representation for a community that’s refusing to be victimized any longer. That’s political will worth being proud of, and we hope it won’t stop there.
Time is of the essence. The City of Stuart has taken the first step. If they can carry that political will into the vote at the next meeting, they have a chance to set the tone for the rest of the state. Because while the political courage of one city might make a difference, the combined influence of political courage in many cities has the potential to change Florida water policy for the better, forever.