Tag: hab

Florida’s two U.S. senators--Republicans Marco Rubio and Rick Scott--have been able to guide the “South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act” through committee and to the Senate floor. The proposal amends the “Harmful Algal Bloom and...

Last week, a leak was detected at the Piney Point site, threatening catastrophic collapse of the walls holding back 480 million gallons of toxic water. To prevent a collapse, the state has been pumping millions of gallons of contaminated water into Tampa Bay, raising major concerns over the impacts the toxic water will have on marine wildlife and the threat of harmful algae blooms.

After reports last week of red tide returning to Southwest Florida, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., called on the U.S. Senate to do more to help combat the problem. 

“Responding to HABs requires a collaborative federal, state and local government effort.  I am encouraged that these key agency officials are coming together to help our community prepare for future algae outbreaks" Francis Rooney said on Tuesday.

Rooney insisted this has been “one of the worst red tide and Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) outbreaks seen in our area” and ACOE leadership knows of the “existing limits of the LORS and how LOSOM can mitigate these harms once the HHD is completed."

On Friday, Buchanan visited the SBA Disaster Assistance Center in Sarasota to focus on  Economic Injury Disaster Assistance Loans. Small businesses located in Sarasota, Manatee and Hillsborough counties hurt by red tide can apply for those loans.