A South Florida congressman has filed three bills that are aimed at protecting access to clean and safe water.
Republican Brian Mast of Stuart says one of them would prohibit discharges from Lake Okeechobee when the water exceeds a certain toxicity level.
"8 parts per billion of microsystin. That is a level that is determined by the EPA to be too toxic for human contact."
The other bills would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to notify residents in impacted areas before releasing water that contains toxic algae and mandate that public health is prioritized in the federal government's management of water infrastructure in Florida.
The representative says he introduced the proposed legislation in honor of World Water Day.
More information on the 3 bills:
- THE TOXIC HEALTH THREAT WARNING ACT would protect public health in Florida by requiring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to notify impacted areas of potential health impacts before discharging water containing blue-green algae. The bill requires tests to be conducted to determine whether the water to be released from a flood risk management project is contaminated, and if it is, to notify potentially impacted people about risks to human health.
- THE STOP POISONING FLORIDA ACT would prohibit discharges from Lake Okeechobee at the Port Mayaca Lock and Dam and the St. Lucie Lock and Dam when the water exceeds the toxicity level that the EPA has determined is too toxic for human contact (8 parts per billion of microsystin). For decades, Florida’s coastal communities have been on the receiving end of toxic discharges, including discharges that have tested greater than 60 times more toxic than the Environmental Protection Agency considers safe for human contact.
- THE PROTECT FLORIDA ACT would amend the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ operations to require them to prioritize public health when managing water infrastructure in Florida. The current operational priorities for the Army Corps include flood control, navigation, water supply, enhancement of fish and wildlife, recreation and more. This bill maintains the importance of all these priorities and adds public health as a criteria that must be considered while executing each of these priorities.
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