October 9,
2013
By JIM LINETTE
Sanibel Mayor Kevin
Ruane is pleased and encouraged about the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie
waterways freshwater releases after visiting with U.S. Congressional leaders in
Washington, D.C., on Oct. 3.
"It went really
well," said Ruane. "I think they understand the situation better now.
There probably will be another meeting with more of the Appropriations
Committee members at some point. We only got to meet five or six out of 40 of
them this time."
Ruane, Vice Mayor Doug
Congress, Natural Resources director James Evans and Rep. Patrick Murphy of
Jupiter were invited to the Capitol by Representative Trey Raydel, who met with
the Sanibel delegation and Congressman Tom Rooney, who represents Florida's
17th Congressional District and is a member of the U.S. House Committee on
Appropriations. Lee County Commissioner Larry Kiker, Fort Myers Beach Mayor
Alan Mandel and FMB Chamber president Bud Nocera also participated in the
"South Florida Fly-In and Briefing."
Their goal is to
convince federal lawmakers to authorize funding through the Water Resources
Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) for short and long term solutions to correct
environmental and economic harm being done by freshwater releases from Lake
Okeechobee to the east and west coasts.
"Over the past
five weeks we have forged unique partnerships: bipartisan partnerships with
both parties in Congress; bicoastal partnerships among our Florida delegation
and partnerships between local governments and our Governor's office,"
Ruane added. "I do believe all of us working together toward the
implementation, funding and construction of our short and long-term priorities
are how we best serve the citizens of Sanibel, Florida and everyone who works
in and visits southwest Florida."
The WRRDA bill already
was passed by the U.S. Senate and is awaiting a vote by the U.S. House soon,
perhaps even this week. The Committee of Appropriations sets the specific
expenditures by the U.S. government for projects in the WRRDA bill.
"I think the bill
will pass," said Ruane. "They are going in several directions right
now, and they might even tie the bill to the debt ceiling debate."
The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (COE) last month agreed to reduce the freshwater releases down the
Caloosahatchee that has resulted in dark, tea-colored water along Fort Myers
and Sanibel beaches and extending several miles out into the Gulf of Mexico.
Just this week, on Tuesday, the COE announced a further reduction in the daily
releases and normal green water appears to be returning to Sanibel beaches.
Water management
capital projects recommended for funding in WRRDA include the $580 million C-43
West Basin Reservoir in Hendry County. The federal government is being asked to
pay $297 million of that cost. The reservoir is designed to hold 55 billion
gallons of water from the Caloosahatchee River during the rainy season in order
to prevent nutrient-rich fresh water from causing harmful algae blooms, killing
seagrasses and oyster beds downstream in the estuary.
Raydel promised the
delegation that his will not be the only voice heard if the bill passes and the
COE causes any more delays.
"I was skeptical
about the meeting at first," said Congress. "I didn't know if we
could accomplish something or not. At one time there were 20 or so Congress
members present during the meetings. We got to meet individually with six or
seven in their offices, mostly Florida delegates. It was good for us to get
this national exposure."
At Tuesday's Sanibel
Planning Commission meeting, chair Michael Valiquette commended the Mayor and
Vice Mayor.
"I think it was
amazingly successful," Valiquette said. "I've been up there before
and you guys are to be congratulated for a job well done and I think the
educated approach by Kevin is the way to go."
Kiker spoke at the
briefing and called the water quality situation an "ongoing environmental
calamity."
"The
Caloosahatchee River and the estuary in Lee County is essential to the overall
health of our beaches and to a great extent our economic viability," he
said. "A clean and healthy environment is one of the most critical cogs of
the economic engine that drives Lee County in its No. 1 industry, which is
tourism."
Kiker then related
visitors in direct relation to employment in Lee County. County officials were
reported to having spent more than $350 million to obtain 28,000 acres in
putting land into conservation.
"Statistics have
shown that over 90 percent of the people that visit come for beaches and clean
water," he said. "We live in an instant information age, and the
image of black water along the beaches in Lee County has spread around the
world in seconds. Unfortunately, that image stays with us for a long, long
time. We're a very resilient community, but we need action now."
Nocera said the event
received a "lot of traction" with 24 members of Congress, Sen. Bill
Nelson, U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and several
members of the Florida legislature in attendance.
"The room was
packed," he said. "I think the fact that it happened while the
government was shut down gave it the ability to garner more attention and that
is why more members of Congress attended."
Fort Myers Beach
Bulletin/Observer editor Bob Petcher contributed to this report.
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