Tag Archives: buy the land

Toxic Algae Eve : Protest: Buy the land! May 3. St Lucie Locks

@JaxStrong

@SteveCrisafulli

@JoeBiden

#buytheland #sendcleanwatersouth #nomoredischarges #saveflwater #savetheeverglades

On May 3 we had a protest.

https://www.facebook.com/events/831962766840242/

***VIDEO CHALLENGE AND PROTEST*** DEMAND CLEAN WATER! Meet us at Phipps park and we can all stand together! Ask your elected officials to CANCEL THE DISCHARGES and BUY THE LAND! This Sunday, make a video on your phone, make sure to include those two messages in a peaceful video and submit it on to FB. Tag 3 of your friends and ask them to make their own video and do the same about why we want to stop the discharges and buy the land. Time is running out! Enough is enough!

We came! We Marched! We uploaded video all at the same time.

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Why? To create awareness because apparently even after we were  dumped on,  had our estuary and economy destroyed, had multiple protests with up to 7,000 people, went  to DC, went to Tallahassee, had dozens of events, took thousands of hours of video, took a gazillion photos, wrote  hundreds of letters, emails and tweets  we are at this moment in time right back where we started from at the very beginning.

Toxic Algae Eve.

Why?

Because the ACOE thinks this stuff will dissipate when it hits the brackish water because that worked so well before.  We have been rejected by our own legislators, our water management district. Everyone. Poisoning us is ok with everyone. Except us.

The Speaker of House

@SteveCrisafulli

does not want to buy any conservation land. He won’t even discuss it. He won’t even let us know if he understands why this particular piece of land is important. Senator Alan Hay, the same thing. We’re paying attention.

@SteveCrisafulli

You want to make all the people behave and listen then you are responsible for the destruction of the St Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon. This is on you.

@JoeBiden

We need you. Please come quickly

@JaxStrong

The lake is at 13 ft. Seriously are you kidding me.

Two years ago I bought that we had issues with dike. Millions of dollars later how can there be an issue?

This is whats coming.

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This is what we need to do.

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Here we are today.

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Green Toxic Algae. Poison Poised and ready to kill us.

@BarackObama

@joenegronfl

@RepMurphyFL

@SteveCrisafulli

@JaxStrong

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Green Toxic Algae is poised and ready to be sent down our water ways that will result in the horrible destruction of our Estuary, our sea grass, our oysters, our health and the health of all life that lives in the St Lucie River and the Indian RIver Lagoon.

You can go back and read this blog especially here.

https://cyndi-lenz.com/2014/11/03/a-river-warrior-gets-out-the-vote

I brought the issue up to date and included the video from the Sugarland Rally when we went to Clewiston with open hearts and the Sugar Rulers instead of seeing that one day we would need a solution to this issue basically blackballed our good efforts. Maybe if back then the people would have come and thought for themselves we could have come up with a solution.

and you can go here and read our documentation of this issue for the past 2 1/2 years

https://www.facebook.com/SaintLucieRiverofLight

and you can go here and read Jacqui’s blog

http://jacquithurlowlippisch.com

and you can go here and get some incredible insight into why this is happening. I think between these three blogs you can read all you need to know.

http://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com

We have truly done everything possible. We have confronted the ACOE, Rick Scott,  the South Florida Water Management District, our legislators. All have fallen on deaf ears.

On a positive note we have educated thousands of people to this issue.

We have documented these issues so no one can say this never happened.

We could write a book. ( and then leave town lol)

We, not being one or two individuals but an entire community of the most dedicated people I  have ever met. We are all part of one big puzzle. No one greater than the other. Without the pieces we are incomplete. We all have our jobs.  Organically. Not manipulated. And hopefully we’ll stay that way.

We all sit here today and worry about what’s going to happen on Monday when the locks open up.

I come back to my original question when this happened in 2013. How can the intentional destruction of the most diverse estuary in North America be legal? How is the intentional poisoning  of our St Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon allowed in the United States of America?

This has got to stop.

We have two events. One on Sunday and one on Monday.

Sunday:

https://www.facebook.com/events/831962766840242/834768046559714/

Sunday 2 pm Phipps Park

Monday:

Say No to the Toxic Flow 7 am 2175 SW Locks Rd, Stuart, Florida 34997

https://www.facebook.com/events/1563265363925897/

http://www.tcpalm.com/franchise/indian-river-lagoon/health/orca-bluegreen-algae-in-canals-poised-for-big-blooms_47535634

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Thank goodness for Orca and the Killroys and Edie Widder.

“Lead scientist Edith “Edie” Widder noted that high concentrations of algae are being found in canals that stretch into agricultural areas of western St. Lucie County but not in the creeks that run from suburban areas into the river and lagoon.”

Lake O May 1 facts:
1) 581 million gallons a day released to the St Lucie River.
2) 1.3 billion gallons a day released to the Caloosahatcee river
3) The discharges waste water that would replenish the Everglades.
4) The discharges strips our basic human right to clean drinking water.
5) The discharges will destroy water quality by moving a toxic into our homes resulting in massive fish kills and making the water unsafe for human contact.

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Other things that you can do. Thank goodness for our wonderful Maggy!

http://contextflorida.com/maggy-hurchalla-keep-fighting-until-legislature-buys-land-for-everglades-restoration/

Every one of us here needs to:

1. Call YOUR legislator. They mostly don’t care if you don’t vote in their district. Other than grabbing them and shaking them, nothing is more effective than a phone call. You can get the phone number of your representatives and senators from several websites – Audubon, cleanwater.com, the Everglades Foundation. The message is simple. Use Amendment 1 money to buy land. Exercise the US Sugar option.

2. Get two other people to do the same thing.

3 Send emails to your legislators. That’s not “instead of.” Call them AND send them emails. Get two other people to do the same thing.

4. Get the Dade County Commission and the Dade legislative delegation to take a strong public stand.

4. Email and call the governor, the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House.

5. Sign every online petition you can find that says, “Buy the land. Send the water south.” Get two other people to do likewise.

6. Go to rallies and wave signs.

7. Write letters to the editor.

8. Take names. Most legislators care only about their home district. Those running for higher office are aware that the rest of us matter. They think we are forgetful.

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and sign these petitions:

If you haven’t signed all these petitions, sign ’em and pass them on to others.

PETITIONS

http://www.sccf.org/content/298/Sign-the-Everglades-Trust-Petition.aspx

http://www.evergladestrust.org/petition

http://act.progressflorida.org/sign/everglades/

http://www.savingflwater.com/

https://www.causes.com/actions/1777289-sign-the-petition-to-florida-state-governor-scott

https://www.flsenate.gov/Media/Topics/wlc

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If you call a politician a vulture isn’t that an insult to the vulture?

Here is the fabulous Sharon Lux from the Treasure Coast Progressive Alliance.

I love Protest Art!

I also love Vultures!

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Vultures are defenders of the Environment. These are birds that have a job.

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-beneficial-buzzard-clearing-the-air-about-vultures

One of the main misconceptions about vultures is that they spread disease. This is absolutely untrue. In fact, the opposite is true… vultures actually prevent viruses, bacteria and other pathogens from spreading in the environment. A vulture’s stomach acid is a unique compound that not only allows the bird to ingest disease processes, but also removes said disease from the environment. Once a virus, bacterium or other type of disease goes into the vulture, it never comes back out! Vultures help stop the spread of rabies, anthrax, cholera, brucellosis and many other pathogens that could otherwise harm other wildlife and even humans!

Fun Fact: The Cherokee name for vulture means Peace Eagle – because unlike most meat eaters, vultures do not kill for food.

They don’t kill the alive. They only eat the dead.

Vultures are my spirit birds.

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http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/vulture.htm

The Vulture is the symbol of death and rebirth, the mother symbol,
and represents purification.
For those with this totem,
you will be noticed more for what you do than how you appear.

Vulture or Condor
teaches us how to soar above our limitations.

The Vulture promises us that no matter
how difficult things are at the moment,
rescue and change are imminent.

http://seeingmiracleseveryday.blogspot.com/2009/11/behold-turkey-vulture.html

“I learned that the turkey vulture’s wing span is approximately 6 feet wide (I can vouch for their incredible size from this animal soaring within 10 feet of me on my deck!). Their task in life is to clean up the mess, but an even more interesting aspect of the turkey vulture is that it is the only bird (or presumably only animal) whose feces is disease free. So the turkey vulture kindly cleans up dead carcasses or rotting flesh, then purifies them from any bacteria – making them perhaps nature’s most perfect cleansing animal. They struggle with take off and appear awkward in early flight, but once they are off the ground, they soar like eagles (often mistaken as such at a distance), and can fly for hours without ever flapping their wings, riding thermals and currents. The turkey vulture that appeared to me did absolute acrobatics around me, looping effortlessly in glorious flight.”

http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/raptors-and-vultures/vultures/

“Vultures are under state protection, therefore it is unlawful to shoot or harass them without a permit from the FWC.  If however, the vulture is tearing up a screen porch, or chewing up shingles or roofs, then you may want to consider scaring them with Pyrotechnics.  The Wildlife Services group of the United States Department of Agriculture at 352-377-5556 can provide more information.”

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So in this video RIck Scott came to the locks and while he was there the vultures showed up and when he left they left.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjcgdTvgTB0

Post Earth Day Press Conferance (Video) Stuart FL April 29

Press Advisory

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STUART EVENT: Contact Cara Capp, (305) 546-6689, cara@evergladescoalition.org,
Mark Perry, 772-486-3858, mperry@floridaocean.org
CAPTIVA EVENT: Contact David Jensen, 239-470-5389, dave@gocaptiva.com; Rae Ann Wessel, 239-246-0100, rawessel@sccf.org
Two Coasts, One Message:
Buy the Land Now
Rallies to support State Senator Joe Negron for his efforts to open the door to a sugar land purchase and call for further action
When: Wednesday, April 29, 2015
East Coast *** THERE WILL BE VISUALS ***
Where: Flagler Park, 201 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL
Time: 11 a.m. to noon (11 30 a.m. Press Conference)
WHO & WHAT: Elected officials, Everglades Coalition, Rivers Coalition, and River Warriors will laud Florida Senator Joe Negron (R) for planning on introducing legislation asking for $500 million for land purchases, money that could buy U.S. Sugar lands. Will present “Buy the land” letters to Governor, House Speaker, Senate President from 19 local elected officials and resolutions from 11 local governments. Florida Realtors’ water quality/home values study. People will sign a giant poster saying, “With Joe we stand. Let’s buy the land.”
West Coast *** THERE WILL BE VISUALS ***
Where: Jensen’s Twin Palm Resort & Marina, 15107 Captiva Dr, Captiva, FL 33924
Time: 10 to 11 a.m. (10:15 a.m. Press Conference)
WHO & WHAT: SW FL business leaders, Realtors and Chamber of Commerce officials. Boaters, fisherman, kayak and paddle boarders will take to the water in support. Singer/songwriters: North Captiva’s Bob Hipkens and Austin Church from Cocoa Beach. Florida Realtors’ water quality/home values study. Videotaping of messages to the Governor and Leadership will also be captured and Queenies ice cream will be served. Banners, posters. Painted fish.
Background: There is broad public support for exercising the 48,600 acre purchase option in the US Sugar contract, but water managers must take action now for the process to begin. As polluted water is dumped to the coasts, the Everglades multibillion dollar restoration project, is starving for water. The solution, according to the scientific community, is to pursue 48,600 acres of sugar land to store and clean the water.

Bustor Brown and his human Jennie Pawlowsky.

Bustor Brown and his human Jennie Pawlowsky.

Mark Perry, Florida Oceanographic

Jason Totoiu, Everglades Law

Ed Fielding, Martin County Commission

Irene Nethery Gomes and Takeata King Pang

Irene Nethery Gomes and Takeata King Pang

Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch Commissioner Sewells Point, Blogger, Tireless River Advocate, Plume Chaser

Mark Perry and Troy Macdonald, former mayor of Stuart, FL

Drew from Palm Beach Soil

Rebecca Fatzinger

Rebecca Fatzinger

Celeste De Palma, Audobon, FLorida

Mary Perry 2

Chris Dzadovsky, St Lucie County Commissioner

Celeste De Palma’s Speech in Spanish

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Florida Leader of the House finally makes a decision “Screw it. Let’s go Home!”

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjournment_sine_die

http://m.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/breaking-news-florida-house-shuts-down-for-this-ye/nk47M/

“I don’t think it’s healthy for the process (for us) to stay here and continue to talk about something that neither side is changing their view on,” Crisafulli said.

“Hopefully, the Senate president and I can sit down and figure out how to determine when we’re going to come back and hold a (special) session,” he added.”

We don’t think it healthy to have green toxic algae at our doorstep. Its defiantly not healthy. We know that for sure.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/why-did-the-florida-house-adjourn-early-answering-your-questions/2227395

“Why?

There are two main reasons the House and Senate budget proposals were so different: a $2.2 billion federal-state hospital funding program known as the Low Income Pool, and Medicaid expansion. The LIP program provides funding to hospitals that treat large numbers of uninsured and Medicaid patients. It is scheduled to end June 30 under an existing agreement with the federal government. The Senate proposed a successor program and assumed the money would come through. The House did not include any LIP money in its budget. What’s more, the Senate’s proposed budget included $2.8 billion in federal Medicaid expansion money to provide health care coverage to more than 800,000 low-income Floridians. The House has long opposed that idea, likening it to an endorsement of Obamacare. Over the course of the session, the two sides refused to back off of their positions. They dug in even deeper this month when the federal government said it was more likely to approve a LIP successor if Florida expanded Medicaid.”

“What happens in a special session?

During a special session, the only legislative business allowed must be restricted to what was stated in the proclamation filed with the Secretary of State, in a communication from the governor, or in the consent approved by three-fifths of both chambers. Because this upcoming special session must address the budget, it will touch on many issues that are tied to state funding. That should make it more of a mini-regular session than a special session. Unrelated topics — such as how much will lawmakers steer into land acquisition from the use of Amendment 1 dollars — won’t get resolved now until special session. It also means lawmakers can negotiate anything into the session using the umbrella of the budget.”

Don’t worry! They’ll just come back to do their job.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/special-session-special-costs

at a great cost to all of us. Crimany! What if Rick Scott takes our 49 bucks back?

Maybe instead of fishes we need to send:

the-one-minute-manager

B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75SEy1qu71I

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/state/house-adjourns-session-three-days-early_33936987

TALLAHASSEE — The House quit session three days early, likely killing a controversial water bill while putting in limbo discussions on environmental spending under Amendment 1 and whether to buy land to send Lake Okeechobee water south.

Here’s a little music to read by.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9vA7L8H4nc

With budget negotiations with the Senate stalled because of an impasse over health care funding and Medicaid expansion, Speaker Steve Crisafulli sent surprised members home Tuesday.

Lawmakers will reconvene this summer to pass a state budget before June 30, when they have to also decide how to use more than $740 million available through Amendment 1, approved by 75 percent of voters last year to buy, restore and manage land and water resources.

http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/Florida-House-Session-Adjourns-3-Days-Early-301574831.html

Republicans in the two chambers are at odds over healthcare funding. They also disagree on who’s to blame for the deadlock.

“We sent them multiple offers last week they were not willing to negotiate. We made legitimate offers. They didn’t counter with anything reasonable,” house speaker pro tempore Matt Hudson told us after the house adjourned.

Later, Senate President Andy Gardiner accused the House of refusing to cooperate.

“I think we have offered many times to get together and try to come up with solutions,” Gardiner said.

So we’ll see what happens. Please get some rest legislators.

And soon perhaps a permanent vacation.

Here is our Minority Leader, Mark Pafford. He was ready to work.

http://thefloridachannel.org/videos/42815-press-availability-with-house-minority-democratic-leader-mark-pafford/

so here’s something we can do while we we’re waiting. surfs up!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYUYMmn75hY

President Obama said “We want to restore the natural flow of the Everglades.”

@BarackObama

@joenegronfl

@RepMurphyFL

@SteveCrisafulli

Yesterday, On #Earth Day 2015, President Obama came to the Everglades.

Here is his speech

miami.cbslocal.com/video/11416318-web-extra-president-barack-obama-talks-climate-change-in-the-everglades/#.VTgwYPBYm3Z.facebook

“In the words of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas there are no other Everglades in the World.”

“If we don’t act there might not be an Everglades as we know it.”He talked about salt water intrusion, and how South Florida, 7 million Americans, get their drinking water from the Everglades.”

“The pentagon says that climate change poses a risk to our national security”

“All of this poses a risk to Florida’s 82 billion dollar tourist industry on which many jobs and livelihoods depend.”

“Protecting our parks is a smart thing to do for our economy.” (you know jobs, jobs, jobs)

President Obama said “We want to restore the natural flow of the Everglades which we know is one of the best defenses against climate change and rising sea level.”

“This is not some impossible problem.”

“If you’ve got a storm. You prepare for the storm. You don’t stick your head in the sand.”

The pentagon says that climate change poses a risk to our national security.

That’s so true. Read this book. It was a total non partisan issue to screw up the plumping.

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The Federal Government has invested millions of dollars and with out buying the land in EAA Everglades Restoration will never be complete. The Aquifers will not be recharged. The salt water intrusion will continue. We will get discharges forever. The drinking water of South Florida will be destroyed.

So if our President of the United States, a guy who is really busy, understands this simple message why doesn’t our Florida Legislature?  Do they hate him so much they would destroy our Everglades, our drinking water and continue to to allow the toxic discharges  and the wasting of millions of gallons of water?  President Obama, millions of gallons of water are sent out to tide and are destroying our northern estuaries.

earth day everglades copy

When our President says we have to do this we have to do this and our Florida Legislators must make this happen. They can no longer keep their heads in the sand. They need to prepare for the storm.

Please call your legislators today and tell them we must buy the land.

#buytheland #sendcleanwatersouth

State Sen. Alan Hays: The Fox in Charge of the Hen House.

To

State Sen. Alan Hays

To all the people that voted for him: thanks! yikes

To the press that quote him over and over again: really?

To Everyone else: Understand clearly who is making decisions about OUR DISCHARGES, OUR DRINKING WATER, OUR EVERGLADES.

To the new outlets: Didn’t you think this was necessary to include this information in your reports?

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-02-24/news/os-lk-lauren-ritchie-conservation-hays-20130224_1_conservation-land-extreme-bill-national-parks-and-forest

February 24, 2013|Lauren Ritchie, COMMENTARY

This is the time of year when state Sen. Alan Hays usually tries to turn one of his extreme opinions into law by filing a bill that the Legislature has to consider with a straight face.

Session 2013: The Umatilla Republican does not disappoint.

Hays has offered bills in the past that delighted his insurance and development backers but would have left his constituents seething. The worst among them was a bill that would have deregulated the insurance industry, launching the cost of homeowner premiums into the ozone.

The winner of the annual competition for Hays’ Most Bizarre Bill is SB 584, an absurd measure that seeks to prevent the state, counties and cities from buying any more conservation land than they already own unless they sell an equal amount of publicly held property.

Yep, that’s it, folks. Sell some of that “useless” property you’re just hanging onto for no reason if you want another park. You’ve hit the cap.

Now fast forward to now:

miami.cbslocal.com/2015/03/19/little-land-buying-in-senates-amendment-1-plan

Sen. Alan Hays, a Umatilla Republican who is chairman of the subcommittee, said the state might already have enough land within its preservation inventory.

to now

http://politics.heraldtribune.com/2015/03/21/still-little-land-buy-funding

Many lawmakers see the issue much differently. They say Florida owns enough land, and argue that the amendment language is broad enough that they can steer nearly all the money to other environmental priorities.

Hays chairs the Senate committee that was responsible for creating an environmental spending plan that conforms with the constitutional amendment.

Of course they do.

This is Florida where the fox is in charge of the hen house.

Fox_henhouse02

Now they are laughing at us.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20150321/NEWS/150329844

We live in Florida so this sounds just about right.

Unpaid volunteers make choices about our water

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www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/xweb about us/governing board

The South Florida Water Management District is directed by nine Governing Board members who set policy for the agency. They reside within the agency’s 16-county region and represent a cross section of interests, including the environment, agriculture, local government, recreation and business. Governing Board members are unpaid citizen volunteers appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate. They generally serve four-year terms.

The South Florida Water Management District encompasses two major watershed basins, the Okeechobee Basin and the Big Cypress Basin. The Big Cypress Basin also has a Basin Board, with appointed members setting policy. One Governing Board member also serves as the chair of the Big Cypress Basin Board.

The Governing Board appoints the Executive Director, who directs all South Florida Water Management District activities. The Florida Senate confirms this candidate.”

So the people on the board of South Water Management District are unpaid volunteers. We are volunteers. They are volunteers that are friends of Rick Scott.  We get bubka’s.

Why does a group of unpaid volunteers get to make a decision about our discharges, our water, our everglades?

Here is the discussion at the end of the meeting last week about why the land will not be bought.

Coffee talk ! Let’s talk!

For two years I’ve been begging people to talk to each other  in the paper. We are so blessed to have the very best dedicated lagoon team. Now we can send articles to our friends! Our voices and the voices of the Stuart News is intragral to being heard.

So thank you who ever made this happen. (I think the person has the initials E.S.) because now we can talk to each other and reach out even more.

Thanks for publishing my letter.

Thanks to all the people who commented.

 

So here I am telling the board of govenors about my trip to the beach.

@SFWMD

I wrote four speeches.  One all typed out. 2 more I wrote out on the way to the meeting and the last I wrote on scrap paper. In the end I threw them all away and spoke from heart minus the curse words. Afterwards I cried.

From Katy:
Katy Lewey ‎Cyndi Lenz

“Thank you for bringing our message home today.”

I havn’t downloaded my video, so thanks to Irene for shooting this nice video of me talking to the Board of Governors at South Florida Water Management.

This week the item was on the agenda. Afterwards Kevin Power’s said for sure  he’d be a River Kid. Instead of just moving on to the next subject there was discussion. Not the one we wanted. They want to finish projects.

Years of talking to these people and we will still have discharges probably forever. The Everglades will be destroyed. Our drinking water destroyed. I’m sure they have something up their sleeves about that one and it will include spending lots of money and the cost will be passed on to you.

How dare we ask for clean drinkable water. We have a lot of nerve.

How dare the people of the Treasure Coast ask to have our clean water back.

We passed amendment one to buy this land. How difficult is it going to be in the future to get people to sign on and pass citizen initiatives if the legislature is just going to go what they want to do?

In our next election will people really think about who they are voting for and are they going to put up deeper into this hole of being manipulated by Big Sugar and other Big Business and not whats good for us?

Right now the best thing we can do is pray for a drought.

So here is my message to Rick Scott, our legislature and the Board of Governors of South Florida Water Management District.Stop the discharges. You figure it out! We did everything we possibly could, we got you the money, we got the support, we pulled everyone together.  Keep the locks closed.  Close them forever. and bring us some oysters. ” Then go home and find us people who can come up with solutions not constraints. Because no one. Not one single person should have to deal with this.