Dear Senator Mayfield:
The Indian River Neighborhood Association, a 501(c)(3) organization of over 1000 members in Indian River County, is writing to urge support of Debbie Mayfield’s SB712, The Clean Waterways Act. Along with advocating for smart growth, we advocate for clean water.
We have a unique estuary flowing through our county, the Indian River Lagoon. We are also blessed to have such natural resources as the once-pristine Blue Cypress Lake, the San Sebastian River and 23 miles of Atlantic Ocean beachfront, all of which are in need of protection from the many sources of pollution damaging them. During the last year we have suffered closed beaches, sewage spills, blue green algae from biosolids entering Blue Cypress Lake, brown tide, red tide and loss of seagrass and marine life along the lagoon.
SB712, the Clean Waterways Act, encompasses the need for further regulation of several sources of pollution in our waterways, ie: biosolids, stormwater, leaky septic systems and sewage spills, all of which are affecting the water quality in our county. We are certain these same problems exist in most Florida counties and SB712 could be a template for solutions statewide. It also provides funding mechanisms for cities and counties to tackle these expensive problems, a critical component.
For the sake of Florida’s future and our citizens’ health, we must address our water crisis now. We urge you to enact SB712 as proposed and not weaken it with amendments that make it less effective.
Respectfully,
Honey Minuse, Board Chair, Indian River Neighborhood Association Jean Catchpole, Chair, IRNA Water and Lagoon Committee
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