Monthly update from the Florida Springs Institute View this email in your browser Monthly Springs Vent February 2016 President’s Update Poisoned Waters by Robert L. Knight Have you noticed that many of Florida’s waterways are becoming more polluted with every passing year? These formerly pristine natural resources include Atlantic beaches, the Gulf of Mexico, the Indian River Lagoon, Lake Okeechobee, the St. Lucie River, the Caloosahatchee River, the Rainbow River, the Suwannee River, the St. Johns River, and the Apalachicola River, just to name a few. Many of Florida’s most treasured waters are suffering from increasing pollution due to the discharge of nutrients, trace metals, and organic compounds that are toxic to aquatic life. The inevitable results of poisoning these waters are harmful algal blooms, red tide, closed springs and beaches, declining fisheries, and diminished recreational and commercial opportunities. This pollution is often the result of insufficient enforcement of environmental laws passed by previous Florida legislatures. Restoring these polluted waters will ultimately cost Florida taxpayers billions of dollars and setback the state’s economic recovery. [Read more…]
Source: Springs Vent – February 2016