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NEWS PRESS
Guest Opinion: Marti Daltry
Judah right about Lake O
Originally posted on
In his Jan. 25 guest
opinion, U.S. Sugar's Robert Coker criticizes Lee County Commissioner Ray
Judah's call for a
It is important to remember
that the Everglades Agricultural Area was established with funding from the
federal government to promote legitimate national priorities of the mid-1900s.
State and national priorities of this century have evolved to place greater
emphasis on water quality and storage. Now, for the greater good, a portion of
these EAA lands need to be converted back to their natural state and used as a
cleansing flow way connecting Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades.
To be fair, Mr. Coker makes
a good point in asking Commissioner Judah to focus equal attention on
Riverwatch challenges Mr.
Coker and U.S. Sugar to endorse the EPA's new proposal to establish a 77 ppb
total phosphorus limit on all waters flowing to
Furthermore, Riverwatch
challenges the Lee County Commission as well as the Fort Myers and other city
councils to create stormwater
utilities (with permanent funding systems) to improve runoff water quality from
residential, commercial and industrial areas. This is the urban equivalent of
EPA's recommendation for the rural areas.
We are all part of the
problem and we must each become part of the solution.
— Marti Daltry is president of the Caloosahatchee
River Citizens Association (Riverwatch).