I met Governor Rick Scott when he came to Stuart during 2014, in response to the “Lost Summer of 2013,” and then again during his campaign reelection.
One of the most interesting things for me, was that he carried around a blue Sharpie pen. They say little things tell you a lot about a person’s personality….
When I gave him my booklet to sign, the booklet, Let’s Keep Florida Beautiful, dealing with Spring’s protection, his reelection campaign booklet he brought and shared with the area Chambers of Business, I handed him a ball-point pen to autograph my booklet. When he went to sign, it did not work!
He quickly reached inside his suit pocket and pulled out a blue Sharpie pen and proceeded to sign the booklet. (Photo below.)
As the Treasure Coast sits awaiting the ACOE opening of S-308 and S-80 structures this morning at 7:00AM, to once again pour polluted water from Lake Okeechobee into the St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon, I would like to thank the Governor for his press release in response the releases yesterday, (below) and ask that CLEAN WATER becomes the height of his campaign promise.
I ask him, in this second round of water trouble, that he take out his Sharpie pen and fix the problem.
My personal request too, as is the Rivers Coalition’s, is that he consider the purchase of 46,800 acres of option lands in the Everglades Agricultural Area to create an area for dynamic (moving storage). A place to store, clean, and convey lots of water. Much more water than his present plans allows for.
I appreciate all that has been done by the State, but unfortunately these things are not enough to truly “Save Our River.” (http://riverscoalition.org)
Please leave a legacy of a lifetime, sir.
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The Governor’s press release statement regarding releases from Lake Okeechobee starting 1-16-15:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Governor Scott released the following statement today on the news by the US Army Corps of Engineers of upcoming Lake Okeechobee releases to the east and the west, in anticipation of upcoming rainfall levels.
Governor Scott said, “The Corps’ announcement of releases today from Lake Okeechobee proves that we cannot relent in our mission to restore Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades. We must stay the course on our current water restoration commitments and complete the projects we have already started. We also need the federal government to step up their commitment to Everglades restoration by immediately requiring the Army Corps of Engineers to repair the Lake Okeechobee dike.
“The discharges from Lake Okeechobee in 2013, and the resulting harm to our estuaries, serve as a major signal that we must accelerate work on the restoration projects needed to safeguard South Florida’s waters. Addressing the environmental challenges of South Florida requires the simultaneous investment in projects to store excess water, clean polluted water and send the clean water south – away from our estuaries and into the Everglades.”
Over the next four years, Governor Scott is committed to:
• Fully fund the state’s share of the restoration of the Kissimmee River (which Governor Scott has already funded at $5 million); and
• Fully fund the construction and completion of the C-43 (Governor Scott previously funded at $18 million) and C-44 (Governor Scott previously funded at $60 million).
Focusing on completing these initiatives, while not a silver bullet, is essential to quickly increasing water storage space around Lake Okeechobee and restoring the Everglades. Together, these projects will create more than 300,000 acre-feet of new storage to help fight future releases from Lake Okeechobee.
The Governor is committed to moving forward with sending water south. This year, the South Florida Water Management District sent more than 69 billion gallons of water south, sparing the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries.
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Prior blog post on Gov. Rick Scott’s visit and the Sharpie pen: (http://jacquithurlowlippisch.com/2014/04/13/a-surprise-visit-by-governor-rick-scott-to-the-st-lucie-riverindian-river-lagoon/)
When I lived in South Bay–just south of Bell Glade I watched how they managed the agricultural farm lands you are talking about. The real art to their farming was to never let the soil dry out. If it all dried out, the organic material would blow away and you would only have beach sand.You could see this in places.The water Is ALLWAYS there –just below the surface for vegitables in the winter and just above the serface for sugar in the summer. I believe the way store water is to use the same engineering technology used in Bell Glade( to maintain absolute control over water level) in coastal citys during the dry season. This will closely resemble the way water drained 200 plus years ago
Brent you have the most interesting insights of anyone I know. Thanks so much. Will think on that…
When this job I am on is done I am going to build a solar powered bug zapper. Something like this could be hung over water in the heart of the worst mosquito areas. I believe if you thin out these areas when water lays on the surface in summer there will be a much smaller breeding population of mosquitos. Dead mosquitos could feed minnows.
Really? They eat dead ones? I am not anti mosquito as of now. They did almost eat me alive as a kid.
For at least 20 years my dad hung a bug zapper over a 200 foot long and 10 foot wide ditch that did not flow. He allways had a BIG supply of minnows to fish with. The minnows were allways gathered where the bug zapper was. I realize mosquitos can lay eggs that can be dormant for months —until it rains.I do not belteve these are very sucessful because most dry season rains leave standing water just long enough for egg to become larvi but not long enough for larvi to become a mosquito. The best way to stop mosquito out breaks is to stop them before they get started by thinning them out(around water) before wet season rains leave standing water on the ground.