Originally published by WINK News on June 24, 2019 Experts gathered at a Florida water quality summit to speak about harmful blue-green algal blooms in our waterways regarding health hazards and other dangers the green muck poses in our area. Scientists who spoke at...
Originally published by FOX4 News on June 22, 2019 Toxic blue-green algae is slowly creeping back in to our waterway. And although we aren’t see thick green mattes like last summer, people in the community are still doing their part to educate others on the impacts....
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on June 19, 2019 The beginning of the rainy season brings with it a concentrated blast of nutrient-rich waters to rivers, lakes and bays as heavy rains wash off months of built-up pollution. It’s called the...
An Op-Ed written by Jaclyn Lopez and originally published in The Orlando Sentinel on June 18, 2019 Like a summer rerun of “The Return of Swamp Thing,” Floridians re-awakened in recent days to our own annual horror show: The return of highly toxic blue-green algae. But...
Originally published by WGCU Media by Mike Kiniry & Julie Glenn on June 17, 2019 High volume releases of nutrient-rich, and blue-green algae laden water from Lake Okeechobee last summer led to massive algae blooms along the Caloosahatchee River, in Cape Coral...
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on June 15, 2019 A government watchdog organization says the state is purposely misrepresenting information about drinking water facility violations, reporting a high rate of compliance while the numbers are...
Op-Ed submitted by K.C. Schulberg, Executive Director of Calusa Waterkeeper and published by Florida Weekly on June 12, 2019. What is going on with our water, and what is the potential risk to human health? The summer of 2018 brought historic, unprecedented and...
Originally published by NBC-2 News on June 12, 2019 Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the Lake Okeechobee water releases. “Try to bring urgency to the situation with Lake Okeechobee discharges,” said Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani. Cassani...
Originally published by The Cape Coral Daily Breeze on June 12, 2019 The Calusa Waterkeeper invites the public and healthcare professionals to a public water summit on Monday, June 24, about the health effects of harmful algal blooms. The event, called “Public...
Originally published in The Center Square by John Haughey on June 12, 2019 The summer’s first blue-green algae blooms on Lake Okeechobee were documented by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection [DEP] last week, including a June 5 manifestation that...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on June 11, 2019 Jevontae Jones knows Billy’s Creek isn’t clean, but on a June afternoon, that’s not enough to stop him from tossing a shrimp-baited line into its dark waters in hopes of hooking dinner....
Originally published by FOX4 News on May 9, 2019 Today is the 17th annual World Oceans Day, and community members gathered to celebrate the occasion. With a little music and a few beers at Millennial Brewing in Downtown Fort Myers, activists were hoping to spread the...
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on June 8, 2019 The Caloosahatchee River estuary may soon suffer harm if daily rains don’t come soon. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers managers cut flows from Lake Okeechobee last week to 450 cubic feet per...
Originally published in The News-Press by Patricia Borns on June 7, 2019 Fort Myers could have a new green space for residents to enjoy or a new storm water detention feature – options that 550 people will be asked to choose from in a survey to help the city decide...
Originally published by FOX4 News on June 6, 2019 Protecting Paradise and your health are the focus of a new summit the Calusa Waterkeeper is planning. It looks at blue-green algae blooms and the impact on our health. It’s on Monday, June 24th at 5:30 p.m. at...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on June 2, 2019 Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, will soon be forbidden in Fort Myers Beach, making the town the first Lee County municipality to ban the controversial...
An Opinion Column originally published in The News-Press and written by John Cassani, Linda Penniman & Howard Simon on May 27, 2019 The roundtable convened by Rep. Francis Rooney with federal, state and local officials about the public health consequences of...
Originally published in The News-Press by Chad Gillis on May 24, 2019 The seeds are planted for another blue-green algae outbreak in the historic Everglades system as the base of the marine food chain is active and temperatures are warming. Algae has been found in...
Originally published by FOX4 News on May 24, 2019 The Environmental Protection Agency released new water quality standards on Wednesday, setting guidelines for cyanotoxin levels in the water. The EPA concentrations for microcystins are eight micrograms per liter and...
State Would be First to Set Water-quality Standards for Cyanotoxins The Center for Biological Diversity, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and Calusa Waterkeeper petitioned the Florida Department of Environmental Protection today to protect the public from...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on May 23, 2019 Amid rising concern about the potential health effects of toxic algae, the Environmental Protection Agency released official safety advice Wednesday that advocates say falls far short of...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on May 21, 2019 With no fanfare, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers quietly closed a well-loved Caloosahatchee beach. This week, staff will start sodding over the sand that slopes to the river at the W.P....
Originally published by FOX4 News on May 20, 2019 The weather is heating up and so is the water, and if last years summer was any indication, that’s not a good mix for water quality. Large amounts of algae were spotted near Franklin Lock and Dam this weekend, the...
Originally published by WINK News on May 20, 2019 It is dangerous. But what can it do to your health? That is the question at the center of the water quality crisis. Now, researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are trying to get you answers....
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on May 20, 2019 Federal scientists plan a first-ever study of Lake Okeechobee fishing guides to help understand the long-term health effects of the lake’s cyanobacteria blooms. The Centers for Disease...
Originally published in The News-Press by Amy Bennett Williams on May 17, 2019 Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers is even greener than usual, as a floating layer of algae has appeared on the popular park’s Gator Lake and wetlands in its mitigation...
Originally published by FOX4 News on May 17, 2019 A resident in North Fort Myers posted pictures of blue-green algae in their backyard on the Caloosahatchee River on Tuesday. Calusa Waterkeeper found algae appearing on the river all the way from Labelle to North Fort...
Originally published in The Cape Coral Daily Breeze by Chuck Ballaro on May 15, 2019 A legal challenge to the state intent to issue a permit for the removal of the Chiquita Lock concluded Friday following a third day of testimony from witnesses for the city and...
Originally published by WGCU Media by Mike Kiniry & Julie Glenn on May 15, 2019 Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced the formation of a Blue-Green Algae Task Force that’s charged with reducing adverse impacts of the toxic algae blooms over the next five...
Originally published by WINK News on May 14, 2019 Not what you want to see in our waterways. Algae, which is floating down the Caloosahatchee River. The WINK News drone spotted some of it near the Edison Bridge in North Fort Myers Tuesday. Now, many neighbors fear a...
