Tag: habs

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., introduced the “Prevent Harmful Algal Blooms Act” which U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., is cosponsoring. 

At the end of last week, U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney, R-Fla., unveiled a bill to ensure federal monitoring of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) continues even in the event of a federal shutdown.

“In 2018, Florida’s waterways were afflicted with a serious outbreak of toxic algae which at its height, according to NOAA, covered nearly 90 percent of Lake Okeechobee,” Rooney said.

With toxic algae continuing to plague the Treasure Coast, freshman U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., is urging congressional leadership to bring bills to the floor for votes. On Thursday, Mast called on U.S. Senate Majority...

From his seat on the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., praised the decision to fund the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineering Research and Development Center to, according to the congressman’s office, “identify and develop technology to detect prevent and manage red tide and other HABs, including the blue-green algae bloom smothering Lake Okeechobee.” 

They are cosponsoring U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici’s, D-Oreg., “Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act” which declares the HAB problem an “Event of National Significance” and “would trigger disaster-like funding for affected communities.”

Along with staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management Division and local officials, Rubio toured the St. Lucie Lock and Dam. After the tour on Thursday, the Florida Republican weighed in on the matter. 

On Thursday, Rubio and Nelson unveiled the “South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act" which orders the Interagency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) to study the causes of toxic algae in Lake Okeechobee and how it is impacting the Sunshine State.