Lee County mayors call emergency joint meeting regarding Lake Okeechobee releases and back pumping
The mayors of Lee County’s six municipalities will convene an emergency joint meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday to discuss action items regarding freshwater releases from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee watershed.
The mayors of Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Estero, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel will meet in Bonita Springs City Council chambers at 9101 Bonita Beach Road SE. The meeting is open to the public.
The discussion will focus on action items to address the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ back pumping and releases of dark, nutrient-laden freshwater into the Caloosahatchee watershed, which critics say damage Southwest Florida’s economy and ecology. Action items are expected to include both immediate and long-term requests of the governing agencies with jurisdiction over Lake Okeechobee, including the Army Corps and South Florida Water Management District. Funding requests for relief efforts at the state and federal levels for Central Everglades Planning Project, Everglades Agricultural Area and watershed storage projects also will be discussed.
Mayors scheduled to attend the emergency meeting are:
Bonita Springs Mayor Ben Nelson
Cape Coral Mayor Marni Sawicki
Estero Mayor Nick Batos
Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson
Fort Myers Beach Mayor Anita Cereceda
Sanibel Mayor Kevin Ruane
Source: City of Cape Coral