Florida Senate to Vote on Controversial Bill that Would Harm Everglades, but Benefit Farmers

In this, Monday, July 11, 2016 photo, views of Lake Okeechobee stretch out into the distance at Harney Pond Canal Recreation Area and Margaret Van De Velde Park in Lakeport, Fla. The massive algae outbreak that recently caked parts of Florida's St. Lucie River with guacamole-thick sludge is just the latest in an annual parade of such man-made afflictions. AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – A controversial water bill is up for a Senate vote Feb. 17 that could decide who controls the water levels of Lake Okeechobee, which has environmentalists and the governor concerned with the future of the Everglades and restorations efforts.

Senate Bill 2508 was a “last-minute filing” on Feb. 4 that would give farms the use of water from Lake Okeechobee.  The bill says it would require the South Florida Water Management District (SFWD) to advocate on behalf of farms that depend on the lake for water.  The Army Corps of Engineers, a federal agency, controls the lake’s water levels through the use of canals, gates and pumps.