The Treasure Coast has been a victim of toxic discharges that have plagued our community for decades.  The harmful water being flushed out of Lake Okeechobee threatens public health, damages our ecosystem, and closes businesses.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pulled the trigger to pump massive amounts of contaminated water from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie Estuary just over two weeks ago.  Last week, community leaders and residents came together at the Rivers Coalition meeting to demand answers.

At this meeting, shockingly, the Army Corps could not answer a basic question I asked: “How did the [Herbert Hoover Dike] repairs impact the depth at which there [is] a risk of dike failure?”

Colonel Booth responded, “I can’t answer that specific question.” 

The goal of the repair project was to protect human life while reducing the risks of impact to the way of life, the economy, and the environment of our communities.  The repairs to the dike are important to the residents of the Treasure Coast because increased capacity of Lake Okeechobee to hold water without risk of failure should reduce the need to send damaging discharges to our coast.

Florida’s taxpayers funded this project so we are entitled to know how our money spent on the repairs is benefiting us.  On behalf of our community, I’m demanding answers from the Army Corps.  Read my latest request here: