In recent months, Audubon has been deliberately restrained in external advocacy and press outreach for our Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan recommendations, while our policy staff advocates with the coordinating agencies internally. We are thrilled to see that the coordinating agencies are willing to listen to our ideas. Next week, in light of these conversations, Audubon will present our recommendations to the SFWMD Governing Board and advocate for methods to move forward with the LOPP update. **See note below.
Excessive amounts of pollution from fertilizer and human sewage are contaminating Lake Okeechobee, causing dead zones, foul odors, cloudy water, the expansion of noxious plants, and toxic algae blooms. This unnatural process endangers fish, wildlife and human drinking water supplies, both in the lake and in all downstream systems that receive its water.
Audubon is unwavering in our efforts to lobby decision makers at the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to revise the draft Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan (LOPP) update to improve water quality.
This month, Audubon worked with the Everglades Coalition, a coalition of 53 organizations in drafting a resolution, urging the agencies to boldly improve Lake Okeechobee water quality in the LOPP update. The resolution was passed unanimously at the Everglades Coalition Annual meeting in January. Audubon has also advocated for our recommendations at meetings with high ranking agency officials, as well as the Northern Everglades Interagency Meetings and Lake Okeechobee Water Resources Advisory Commission meeting.
You have an opportunity to speak up and show your support for Lake Okeechobee and the Greater Everglades. Add your name to our letter right now, addressed to the SFWMD Governing Board. Together, we will make a difference for our great lake!
**In our original posting of this blog, Audubon of Florida mistakenly attributed the coordinating agencies to ignoring our LOPP recommendations. This was a misstatement, and we apologize for any concern it has created. It is a fact that staff at the SFWMD, DEP, and FDACS are working diligently to create the best plan possible for the Northern Everglades watershed. We are grateful for the opportunity to present our recommendations in front of the SFWMD Governing Board next week. Audubon of Florida is truly sorry for this mistake and look forward to working with the coordinating agencies on creating a better Florida.
