The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has responded to a lawsuit filed against it Monday by Earthjustice alleging that it is violating state laws governing water quality.
The Corps controls water releases from Lake Okeechobee that flow down the Caloosahatchee River into coastal estuaries. The federal lawsuit alleges the way the Corps manages those releases is creating environmental havoc, health issues and impacting quality of life.
Corps Spokesman John Campbell says the agency does not comment on litigation. But he said releases conform to a 2008 agreement reached with community input, including from environmental organizations.
“So, all the releases we do from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee are made in accordance with that document which represents the very best compromise available with all the divergent stakeholders that have an interest in the lake and in the Caloosahatchee,” he said.
The suit also names the South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as defendants but does not seek action against either of those agencies.
