I keep mason jars of blue-green algae in my office.   Whenever I see them, I remember the unpleasant stench that covered our district back in summer of 2018.  Businesses were closed, beaches were left empty, and people got sick.

The last thing anyone in our community wants is another repeat of that “lost summer,” but as we enter another rainy season, we are already seeing warning signs.

In the last few days, a toxic algal bloom has covered more than half the lake and microcystin tests have come back well above the level considered too toxic for human contact.  It also doesn’t help that Lake Okeechobee is still higher than it should be.

That’s why the Army Corps needs to implement the Lake Okeechobee Systems Operating Manual, or LOSOM, as soon as possible.  It is our best chance to stop these discharges from ruining our beautiful beaches.  I will continue to fight these harmful discharges and keep you updated along the way.