Video link LTC Reynold’s intro comments/presentation: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVMsIG5qEYE)
Video link LTC Reynolds’ announcement, Rivers Coalition: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4Wb0CyS6GI)
6-28-18
Today, at a Rivers Coalition meeting, Army Corp of Engineers, Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer A. Reynolds, announced unexpected news: the ACOE will stop discharging to the St Lucie River for 9 days and then resume. They have been releasing from S-308 for four days since a past weekend pause…
This halting, considering it appears to be at least partially a response to an almost completely cyanobacteria filled Lake Okeechobee, and though temporary, is a significant federal decision in the documentation of toxic/algae/St Lucie issues.
Video link Rob Lord, Martin Health Systems: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzfmOWWDU4k)
The meeting began with Martin Health CEO, Rob Lord discussing health concerns of contact with blue-green algae, and ended with LTC Jennifer Reynolds showing herself to be among other things, a gifted communicator. Please watch the videos for details of this day.
The Jacksonville District of the ACOE will be announcing its next three-year positions for Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel in the coming weeks or months. This cycle of short-lived leadership makes developing lasting relationships and, thus change, indeed almost impossible. But days like today, give one hope.
Thank you LTC Reynolds for your time here, it would be so helpful if you could stay on longer. http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/About/Leadership/Bio-Article-View/Article/600382/lieutenant-colonel-jennifer-a-reynolds/
Links:
TCPalm reporter, Ed Killer, https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/indian-river-lagoon/health/2018/06/28/lake-okeechobee-discharges-stop-nine-days-then-resume/741958002/
Rivers Coalition: http://riverscoalition.org
I was flying over Lake O today, Thursday June 28, and I’ve never seen such a disgusting sight. Approx 80% of the lake was bright green algae! I could believe how the algae is lapping up on the shores of Pahokee and beyond.
Jacqui – you are the best communicator. Thank you for all you do, and how well you do it. Your blog posts keep me informed and hopeful that our dire state of affairs will always be well explained and available.
This evening I was not able to get into the Armstrong Room at the Blake Library where the ACOE was giving a report and fielding questions. Even though I arrived on time, the room was already over capacity. This alone makes a statement of public concern. I only wish everyone could have heard Col. Reynolds’s earlier presentation and explanations. Bravo, Jacqui, for sharing highlights of the Rivers Coalition meeting.
Hi Katie, Dates are yet to be announced. Check back with us and I will update our page once the details are known. Best regards, Jess
Did we mention Ecosphere Technologies and why wont ACOE let them help with this algae, it did work, why not try it as the company had demo for them before an at the marina.
I find it interesting to note how army corps. lady said its the citizens who need to make some lifestyle changes to fix this problem instead of saying bad state gov.behaviour did it by dumping tranloads of sewage on farm land
One BIG issue that should have been brought up by the CRC is how A majority of county commissioners that represent special interest groups(and not the citizens who voted for them) can lie and steel all the money. I was reminded the other night when I watched a documentary on how the Naviho Indians did not hold a majority in their county commission and becouse they were out voted on every issue they had allways walked away with nothing. It was to the point that people were dieing without medical care. If there are 4 county commissioners and 3 vote to spend the money on their districs the one that is shunned should NEVER walk away with nothing. This is not the Main Event of a high stakes polker game. That one commissioner might be representing hundreds of thousands of people. Perhaps in a case like this that one shunned county commissioner should be allowed to decide how they would like to see THEIR 25% of the tax money spent. I have only been trying to restore the lagoon but have come to realize it will never happen unless the swamp is drained and honest and fair government is restored.
Governmental rhetoric will not solve the crisis. Greed will never stop overdevelopment…just look at Miami; the city is so built out, the only direction they can go is UP (more skyscrapers). LTC Reynolds is towing the line not fixing the problems. “WE CAN’T FIX THE ALGAE PROBLEM.” Neither does ACoE care. “The Corps of Army engineers isn’t responsible for water quality.” Then we need to leverage DEP funding so they can be effective in sampling. We need to put pressure on SFWMD. So we are way beyond 1947. Flood control is a bandage on a nasty, cr*ppy environmental disaster waiting to happen. Meanwhile, we are guinea pigs.
I hope people will take pictures and notes because I believe oysters are going to thrive on this blue green algae
If you look up top 10 worst small towns to live in ,in America—-Fort Pierce is no. 2. Only one other small town in all of America is rated worse to live in than Fort Pierce. Could it be they have wasted BILLIONS of dollars with zero return on the money instead of putting shells back on shore where they were taken from which would have a million to one return on tax dollars spent.
Why don’t they discharge more at Canal Point south side of the lake. It’s probably because of the suger farmers who are subsidized by the government. It past time to flood their fields and the hell with them.