Environment and Water Quality

A dozen members of the Florida delegation are backing U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar’s, R-Fla., proposal which “incentivizes retired Navy ships to be repurposed into artificial reefs, boosting marine environments and creating recreational and economic opportunities in the process.”

Salazar introduced the “Reusing Equipment for Environmental Fortification (REEF) Act” on Tuesday with U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Hi., as the main co-sponsor.

“More than 7 million Floridians and thousands of businesses tied to tourism, agriculture, healthcare and construction depend on water supply from Lake Okeechobee, and expected that LOSOM would result in a plan that meets the water supply purpose by restoring the water supply purpose by restoring the water supply performance that existed prior to the current schedule. In addition to seeking assurances from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the Preliminary Preferred Plan CC can be optimized to meet the lake’s project purposes, we are also concerned that without such changes, Plan CC will result in significantly higher volumes of harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges to the Caloosahatchee River.”

“Especially as we approach another hurricane season, Casey Key’s restoration efforts will be critical in achieving long-term coastal resilience in Sarasota County. These coastal resilience efforts will serve our environmental and economic interests for decades to come, and our team is committed to working with all of our federal, state and local partners to help advance these efforts.”

“Okeechobee County’s priorities like telehealth expansion, water quality issues, and public health have remained major focuses for our team, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was honored to update the Chamber this morning on what we are doing at the federal level to advance these priorities and protect our values.”