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Articles by: Gil Smart

Discharges to the Caloosahatchee – good or bad?

April 18, 2024

After last week’s newsletter asking if our discharge crisis was over, we got lots of feedback from readers along the Gulf coast who said the answer was “no.” While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halted discharges from Lake Okeechobee…

Is our discharge crisis over?

April 11, 2024

We may need to retire our “discharges ticker.” For the moment, anyway. Last week the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that once the two-week “pause” in discharges to the St. Lucie, Caloosahatchee and Lake Worth Lagoon ended April 13, the…

This is what a “Summer of Slime” looks like

April 5, 2024

Inspired by a recent photo essay in TCPalm featuring images from the “lost summers” of 2013, 2016 and 2018, we dug into the archives and selected the following pics, taken by Mary Radabaugh and John Moran (see individual photo credits),…

Deep Dive: If the STAs were reserved for lake water, Lake O might be below 13 feet now

April 4, 2024

As billions of gallons of polluted water poured out of Lake Okeechobee and into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee River estuaries and Lake Worth Lagoon, a familiar question kept being raised: Why isn’t that water going south? And a familiar…

PAC attack: U.S. Sugar, Florida Crystals gave more than $26 million to PACs since 2018

March 27, 2024

“Dirty money” to dirty politicians means dirty water. But what happens when the “dirty money” — campaign cash from polluters — goes instead to PACs, political action committees? As part of our “Dirty Money Project” we wanted to find out;…

Great turnout for VoteWater town hall in Sewall’s Point

March 25, 2024

Our community event on the discharges from Lake Okeechobee filled the Sewall’s Point Town Hall last Thursday, with dozens of engaged citizens turning out to learn about the problem – and what they can do about it. Thanks to all…

No room at the (water storage) inn? Blame Big Sugar

March 21, 2024

At last week’s South Florida Water Management District meeting, several speakers took potshots at those of us who want to “send it south.” It’s all fine and good to call for water to be sent to the stormwater treatment areas…

Legislative session ends; did it set up a big environmental fight next year?

March 14, 2024

Click here to register for a March 21 livestream looking back at the 2024 Legislative session hosted by our friends at Friends of the Everglades. The 2024 Legislative session is over, thank God. It could have been worse. But it…

Deep Dive: If we build a reservoir north of Lake O, who gets the water?

March 5, 2024

Everyone agrees that building a reservoir north of Lake Okeechobee is a good thing, a rarity among projects proposed for the greater Everglades plumbing system. More true to form is the fact that not everyone agrees on what ought to…

WHAT WILL THE DISCHARGES DO TO US?: Find out March 21 in Sewall’s Point

March 5, 2024

Want to learn more about the Lake Okeechobee discharges and what they’re doing to our communities? VoteWater will host a Town Hall meeting on the discharges Thursday, March 21, from 6-8 p.m. at Sewall’s Point Town Hall, 1 S Sewalls…

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