Congressman Steube Tours Key Water Quality Improvement Projects in the 17th Congressional District
OKEECHOBEE, FL—Last week, Congressman Greg Steube (R-Fla.) visited with local constituents and toured various water quality projects on and surrounding Lake Okeechobee.
Congressman Steube participated in a helicopter tour with members of the South Florida Water Management District. The sites toured included the Kissimmee River Restoration Project, the Boma Water Quality Treatment and Testing Facility, the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project, the Caloosahatchee River West Basin Storage Reservoir, and the Herbert Hoover Dike Rehabilitation Project.
“Water quality is one of the most important issues facing Florida and it’s important for our leaders to be focused on these projects to ensure that our water resources are protected,” said Congressman Steube following the event. “These projects serve vital roles in improving our state’s water quality and it is imperative that they are seen through to their completion.”
These projects address issues of water restoration to key ecosystems and surrounding wetlands, including the creation of new storage facilities to support the capturing of excess runoff from Lake Okeechobee, and cleaning systems that clean water by removing harmful nutrients before returning it to the watershed.
“The success of restoration and preservation of America’s Everglades, from top to bottom and coastal estuary to coastal estuary depends on our ability to manage the quality, quantity, timing and distribution of water,” said Ben Butler, Governing Board Member of the South Florida Water Management District. “The ongoing and future projects that Congressman Steube and I toured are vital for success and can only be had through working relationships at the local, state and federal levels. I look forward to the day of completion and appreciate the Congressman’s commitment to success.”
“I would like to thank the South Florida Water Management District for their cooperation and efforts to address our water quality issues,” continued Congressman Steube. “As a fifth-generation Floridian, I am committed to working with local stakeholders at home and in Washington, DC to safeguard our water resources.”
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