Breaking: Legislation Filed to Reduce Lake Okeechobee Discharges
Orvis Applauds Legislative Progress in Now Or Neverglades Campaign
As originally featured on Orvis.com
For more than a year, we have been posting about the problems in South Florida caused by discharges of nutrient-laden water out of Lake Okeechobee. Huge algae blooms along both coasts shut down fishing and beaches last summer, and that was just the most visible manifestation of the issue. Organizations, such as The Everglades Foundation, Bullsugar.Org, and Captains for Clean Water have been leading the charge for politicians to take action.
Orvis applauds State Senator Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island), who filed Florida Senate Bill 10, which is designed to reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges and provide needed water to the Everglades and Florida Bay. The bill calls for the purchase of 60,000 acres of land south of the lake to build a reservoir to hold excess water, which will reduces discharges to the coasts.
This is a huge first step toward a real solution, and now is the time to really push the issue. Orvis CEO Perk Perkins described the new legislation as ” a huge breakthrough” and discussed his personal commitment to increasing the pressure on legislators to pass the bill:
In the fast paced time-line of Now or Neverglades, this is the anticipated legislative action we have been waiting for. The stars continue to fall in place on this science-backed solution to the Everglades dewatering and bi-coastal pollution. In March, I will fly to Tallahassee to join a host of other Outdoor business CEOs to help convince the legislative decision makers to pass this bill.
Click here for the full story about the new legislation, and then visit the Orvis Commitment Page on the Everglades. Orvis will match your contribution to The Everglades Foundation, doubling the effect of your donation.
If you haven’t already done so, please sign the “Now or Neverglades Declaration” and share it through social media. The more people that we can get to sign the Declaration, the more pressure we can put on lawmakers to break down the political obstacles to progress.
