A Disaster With No End In Sight

It was a historically wet May. Shortly thereafter, blue-green algae covered 90 percent of Lake Okeechobee. Red tide exploded off the coastlines of Southwest Florida.

This story has a familiar theme. When Lake Okeechobee water levels creep above 15.5 feet, under the mandate of public safety, the Army Corps of Engineers release algae-saturated, nutrient-rich, polluted discharges east and west into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers, respectively. Those ecosystems were still recovering from 2016, which was also horrific but had an ending. The ecological disasters laying waste to coastal and inland waters in 2018 have no end in sight.

Red tide, whose duration is normally measured in days or weeks, has lasted almost a year and may continue into 2019. Naturally occurring (like climate change), red tide has been exploded by man-made nutrient loading and rising water temperatures. While some are slow to make the connection, it’s undeniable that nutrient loading feeds red tide. Really. It’s not a conspiracy theory. High levels of nutrients and pollution contained in the discharges blasting out into the Gulf Of Mexico are a steady stream of fuel for red tide.

The sheer volume of marine life lost in 2018 is staggering. Over 700 manatees, over 400 sea turtles and more than 70 dolphins have died this year. More than 3,000 tons of dead marine life collected from Florida beaches. Gut-wrenching.

Officially, more than 15 people have been taken to Southwest Florida emergency rooms as a result of problems caused by red tide. In addition to respiratory issues, exposure to red tide can also cause nausea, vomiting and, in rare cases, acute liver failure.

The toxicity of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) can also be deadly, as evidenced by independent test results conducted by the Calusa Waterkeeper. Results showed toxicity almost 800 times greater than what can make humans sick. Unimaginable toxicity. More potent than most industrial chemicals.

Found in cyanobacteria, neurotoxin BMAA is cumulative (like mercury or lead) and scientifically linked to neuro-degenerative diseases like ALS, Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons disease, but long term health effects may not be seen for 20 years. Watch the documentary "Toxic Puzzle" for more details.

Hundreds of dead end canals in Cape Coral and North Fort Myers are clogged with mats of blue-green algae. The stench has confined people to their homes. Some have left. Disturbed blue-green algae becomes airborne and the only protection is a respirator mask.

Local officials don’t think testing for airborne cyanobacteria is a priority. I vehemently disagree. Water can be avoided but breathing can’t. Aggressive signage and testing are mandatory to protect an unsuspecting public from airborne and waterborne threats. The response from local and state health departments continues to be woefully inadequate.

The economic impact has been devastating as well. Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach have lost nearly $41 million combined during the months of July and August. Bailey’s General store on Sanibel has experienced a 40 percent drop in revenue, amounting to a half million dollars in lost business. Charter boat captains are literally "dead in the water“, most of them losing 80% or more of their business.

The east coast is also being pummeled by blue-green algae blooms once again, in the St. Lucie River. Seven cyanobacteria-related pet illnesses have been reported, one of which resulted in the death of Finn, a healthy 9-year-old standard poodle.

Calusa Group hosted Andrew Gillum on a "Look, Listen and Learn tour“ at the Cape Coral Yacht Club on August 24th and participated in roundtables with Senator Bill Nelson, Agriculture Commissioner candidate Nikki Fried and CFO candidate Jeremy Ring, which were productive, educational discussions about environmental problems and solutions.

These disasters are a culmination of terrible policies over the past 20 years. Rick Scott and the Florida legislature have overseen, by far, the worst of those policies in the past 8 years. Over 200 million tons of fertilizer runs off into Lake Okeechobee annually and over 500 million tons of sewage enters Florida waterways each day.

Unfettered growth and development continue to exacerbate these problems as well. We must stop pollution at its source and hold polluters accountable. In 1996, voters passed the "Polluters Pay“ amendment which has remained an unfunded mandate to this day. It’s crucial we elect environmental champions in November to break the cycle of destruction and usher in a new era of policies and enforcement that will protect Florida’s environment. If we keep going down the same path we’ve been on, the algae blooms of death will only continue to get worse.