Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released its final plan for managing discharges from Lake Okeechobee.
Under the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual, or LOSOM, discharges to the east into the St. Lucie Estuary will decrease, but not as much as in the Corps' initial plan.
"If there's a potential of toxic discharges, it cut that potential in half. So that's a positive thing no matter what."
But Congressman Brian Mast says the plan still has the potential to send unacceptable volumes of toxic water from the big lake into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers.
He says "this plan falls far short of truly rebalancing the scales of justice when it comes to water management in Florida."
That "justice" would mean ZERO releases to the east and west, and that's not happening. Mast says that's because the sugar industry is being prioritized over residents.
"When that lake gets held higher and there's a hurricane, either the east coast of Florida or the west coast of Florida has to take that literally disgusting toxic water out of Lake Okeechobee and get it dumped into their otherwise pristine communities."
The Army Corps' plan will send significantly more water to the south, into the Everglades.
Discharges have been blamed for toxic algae blooms on the Treasure Coast.