SB10 made it over its next hurdle in the Senate this week, although not without a few surprises. Sen. Bradley opened by reiterating the inexcusable conditions that coastal communities experienced as a result of toxic discharges. He noted that a State of Emergency is in most cases created by an act of God, but this was a glaring exception. Our 242-day exposure to dangerous cyanobacteria and the tremendous economic loss that resulted were self-inflicted. “This from a state that brags about its water.”

People from all across the state traveled to address the committee with personal stories. Captain Adam Morley of St. Augustine reminded the council that the effects of toxic algae are a shared burden throughout Florida. “When the gates open up, the guides down there are displaced and they come up to where the water is still healthy, destabilizing the local industry that I work on. This is not just a South Florida issue – it is a state-wide issue, it affects all of us.”