NEWS PRESS
April 1, 2007

Letter to the Editor
Red Tide Causes Unclear

By Kevin MacCarthy

It is an interesting note that red tide has returned to South-west Florida waters. We are in the midst of a serious drought and there have been no recent releases of Lake Okeechobee water to Caloosahatchee. Also, there has been little rain in the agricultural areas, thus no runoff from the farms to blame for the current problems.

Perhaps the blaming of Lake Okeechobee and the farming areas for all of the Caloosahatchee problems was premature.

Perhaps that is why scientists with Mote Marine Laboratories and other nationally recognized agencies have repeatedly stated that the causes of red tide are unclear and that there is no evidence to suggest the freshwater releases cause red tide.

It is shame that some coastal activists continue to claim that the only solution for the estuaries is to flood our farming areas and destroy our way pf life, instead of working together to expand and expedite projects in the “northern Everglades ”.

It is past time to quit blaming Lake Okeechobee and inland farmers for all of the coastal problems and concentrate on cleansing the waters north of Lake Okeechobee to save our lake, our Everglades and our estuaries.

Kevin MacCarthy - Hendry County Commissioner, District 4, Clewiston