U.S. Congressman Brian Mast has introduced three legislative proposals aimed at addressing the issue of toxic water pollution in Florida’s waterways. The proposed bills are the Stop Poisoning Florida Act, the Toxic Health Threat Warning Act, and the Prioritizing Revised Operations to Eliminate Cyanobacteria Toxins in (PROTECT) Florida Act. These measures seek to enhance public health and safeguard Florida’s unique ecosystem.
Rep. Mast emphasized the urgency of these initiatives by stating, “We should not have to deal with discharges that the EPA itself acknowledges are a threat to people’s health, and the federal government should not be able to avoid responsibility. No one should have to worry about their kids getting sick or their dogs dying from the water in their own backyard.”
The Stop Poisoning Florida Act aims to halt discharges from Lake Okeechobee at Port Mayaca Lock and Dam and St. Lucie Lock and Dam when toxicity levels exceed those deemed hazardous by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to Rep. Mast, “the EPA determined that 8 parts per billion of microcystin makes the water hazardous for people.”
The Toxic Health Threat Warning Act would mandate that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inform both the public and local governments if cyanobacteria-contaminated water is set for release from flood risk management projects.
Lastly, the PROTECT Florida Act seeks an amendment in operational priorities for the Army Corps of Engineers, incorporating public health considerations alongside existing mandates such as flood control and wildlife enhancement.
These bills have been forwarded to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, where Rep. Mast holds a position.
