2022 General - Voter Guide Ranking

2022 Clean Water Questionnaire Responses

To read each question, answer and candidate comments click below.

• Question 1 : Yes
  1) The application of biosolids to farmland has been implicated in water pollution and harmful algal blooms in the St. Johns River and Big Cypress Lake. While temporary bans on the application of biosolids have been enacted, your county has not permanently banned the practice. Do you favor a permanent ban on the application of biosolids in your county?

  Yes

  Candidate Comment:

  Brevard already takes in additional sewage from south Florida. They also do not remove harmful toxins that seep into the crops and harms are water supply. Nitrogen and phosphorous fuel harmful algal blooms and contains high levels of PFAS. They would be better off converting the sewage to a biofuel.

• Question 2 : Yes
  2) Though water quality in the Indian River Lagoon is improving, seagrass continues to die and imperil the endangered manatee populations. There's a growing consensus that the continued use of herbicides like Glyphosate (Roundup) may play a role in this; and a 2021 scientific study found Glyphosate in more than half of all Florida manatees sampled. Do you support banning spraying herbicides in waters (canals, streams and creeks) entering the Indian River Lagoon?

  Yes

  Candidate Comment:

  Unfortunately the only other safe alternative I am familiar with is mechanical harvesting of weeds rather than spraying them. Hopefully scientists can come up with a safer herbicide alternative in the upcoming future.

• Question 3 : Yes
  3) State legislation, FDEP data and the Blue-Green Algae Task Force all report agriculture as the dominant source of phosphorus and nitrogen within most impaired watersheds of Florida. Do you agree industries and property owners should be held to clearly enforceable pollution standards and penalties; including mandatory adoption and verification of best management practices, and to implement inspection programs targeting septic, agriculture and industrial wastewater?

  Yes

  Candidate Comment:

  Informing small local farmers and residents of the toxic nature of the chemicals they use is important and could help reduce use. Unfortunately larger corporations who look at their bottom dollar and faster production times should definitely be help accountable.

• Question 4 : Yes
  2) Florida is booming, with an estimated 1,000 people moving here every day. As a result, development is pushing growth further into Florida’s rural and natural areas, imperiling wildlife and natural resources like clean water. Will you oppose changes to your county’s Comprehensive Plan/Urban Development Boundary that would allow non-agricultural development in rural areas outside the urban, most densely developed area(s) in your county?

  Yes

  Candidate Comment:

  Unfortunately if land is zoned for the use the owner intends, the commission would have their hands tied, but as Florida growth increases and there is a need to increase housing, each rural and natural area that is being proposed for urban development, would need to be properly evaluated for its impact on wildlife and the natural resources surrounding it

• Question 5 : Yes
  5) The Clean Waterways Act, passed in 2020, compels county governments and municipalities to resolve excess nutrient loading from septic and antiquated wastewater treatment systems. These pollution sources continue to adversely impact the health of the Northern Indian River Lagoon Complex (Indian River, Banana River, Mosquito Lagoon). Will you prioritize, in partnership with the state, the funding of wastewater treatment infrastructure and advocate for septic to sewer conversion requirements to meet the law’s standards?

  Yes

  Candidate Comment:

  I believe this is the main reason why revitalization projects are failing. You need to improve the infrastructure causing the problems first.