A group of Republican state lawmakers met at the Riverside Community Center in Fort Myers recently to discuss millions of dollars earmarked to clean up the Caloosahatchee River -- but an unexpected twist during the event underscored the depth of the problem.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis allocated $125 million dollars in taxpayer funds to pay for whatever it takes to rid the Caloosahatchee River of pollution that leads to outbreaks of red tide and blue-green algae.
A group of Republican state lawmakers stood behind a podium in a screened-in room at the back of the community center, with a sweeping view of the Caloosahatchee River behind them.
Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, said the $125 million is just a sliver of the $1.6 billion the governor earmarked for the Everglades restoration, and water quality improvements in Florida during the next year.
“The funding in this budget, that's just one pot of hundreds of millions of dollars that are going towards water infrastructure, and environmental projects that do have a direct impact on our Caloosahatchee basin,” she said.
Then, separate from the lawmaker's gathering, came a release from the Florida Department of Health in Lee County that underscored the urgency with which the money needs to be put to use.
At the same hour Persons-Mulicka was speaking Friday, the health department issued a second blue-green algae health advisory in as many days warning people to stay away from the very same section of the Caloosahatchee River that could be seen behind the lawmaker, as she spoke of the upcoming improvements that could help that very area.
“This is going to be a journey to ensure that we continue to make the environmental infrastructure improvements that we need,” she said.
Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.
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