Action on Lake O needed now
To the editor:
Distinguished public servants of our great state of Florida:
I am one of the many average citizens that is generally satisfied with the governance of Florida. I believe that you elected and selected officials have integrity and moral strength to safeguard the welfare of our State. I am however disturbed at the inaction or glacial pace of action towards a resolution of the Lake Okeechobee discharge. Although not as dynamic or currently CNN newsworthy, the Lake O debacle can be compared to a slow motion Exxon Valdez or Deepwater Explorer disaster. The economic and ecological devastation of the Lake O pollution discharge will be more widespread. The negative effects are evident on both Florida coasts. Like “death from 1000 cuts” this pollution is slowly but surely bleeding the tourist industry, real estate values, all aspects of our economy, fragile ecological health and likely the health of us citizens and our guests.
I implore you to take immediate and significant, quantifiable action toward resolving the Lake Okeechobee issue. I am sure that you do not want the devastation of the Lake Okeechobee pollution discharge to be you legacy.
Michael Hayes
Fort Myers Beach
P.S.- At a minimum, first step: Accelerate the planning and design process for the “EAA Storage & ASR/Decomp Ph2” project in the 2015 Integrated Delivery Schedule from 2020 to 2016/2017.