GOOD MORNING, I'M JIM 3
DEFEDE AND WELCOME TO FACING 3
SOUTH FLORIDA. 3
WE HAVE A LOT OF NEWS THIS WEEK.3
LATER IN THE SHOW WE WILL SIT 3
DOWN WITH ASHLEY MOODY, THE 3
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR 3
ATTORNEY GENERAL. 3
IF YOU THINK HEALTHCARE IN 3
THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC IS 3
IMPORTANT, WE WILL SHOW YOU A 3
PART OF SOUTH FLORIDA I WILL 3
STUN YOU. 3
AN OPEN AIR OPIOID DENVER 3
ADDICTS SHOOT UP IN THE STREETS 3
OF MIAMI. 3
FIRST, WE TALK ABOUT THE 3
CRISIS ON OUR SHORES. 3
THE ALGAE AND RED TIDE IS MOVING3
DOWN THE COAST OF RED BE -- 3
BEACHES. 3
THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE 3
BEEN COVERING FOR TWO YEARS. 3
JOINING ME NOW TO PUT IT INTO 3
PERSPECTIVE IS THE CEO OF THE 3
EVERGLADES FOUNDATION. 3
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. 3
GIVE FOLKS A QUICK TUTORIAL 3
ABOUT RED TIDE AND THE TOXIC 3
BLUE-GREEN ALGAE WE ARE SEEING 3
FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE. 3
WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND 3
WHY IS IT DIFFERENT? 3
WHAT WE SEE NOW IS AN 3
ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER. 3
WE ARE SEEING AN ECONOMIC 3
CRISIS AND A PUBLIC HEALTH 3
EMERGENCY ASSOCIATED WITH THE 3
MIXING OF THESE VARIETIES OF 3
ALGAE. 3
YOU MENTIONED RED TIDE, THAT 3
HAS BEEN NATURALLY OCCURRING AS 3
FAR BACK AS THE 1500S. 3
BUT WHEN WE HAD POLLUTION -- HAD3
POLLUTION AND NUTRIENTS TO THE 3
GULF OF MEXICO, YOU SEE THE 3
EXPANSE AND GROWING OF THE RED 3
TIDE CAUSING SERIOUS DAMAGE IN 3
FLORIDA. 3
WE TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH 3
DAMAGE AND WHAT IT IS IS SOME 3
REPORTERS COVERING THE STORE 3
AND -- STORY COME BACK AND TALK 3
ABOUT SKIN IRRITATIONS, TROUBLE 3
BREATHING AND SINUS INFECTIONS. 3
IS THAT THE ISSUES THEY ARE 3
DEALING WITH? 3
ON TUESDAY, I WAS IN PALM 3
BEACH AT THE PIER AT DEERFIELD 3
BEACH. 3
BY THE TIME YOU RETURN TO MIAMI 3
AFTER THAT DAY, YOU CAN STILL 3
FEEL THE ROUGHNESS IN YOUR 3
THROAT. 3
THE COUGHING IS ALMOST 3
IMMEDIATE. 3
THIS IS AIRBORNE, IT IS A 3
TOXIN COMING OFF THE OCEAN IN 3
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TO PALM BEACH 3
COUNTY. 3
THESE ARE MULTIPLE SYSTEMS OF A 3
GROWING PROBLEM. 3
FRANKLY, FLORIDA IS ON FIRE 3
DUE TO NUTRIENT POLLUTION 3
FERTILIZERS. 3
OUR WATERWAYS ARE POLLUTED. 3
UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE TRYING TO 3
FIGURE OUT WHO LIT THE MATCH. 3
WE HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL, 3
ECONOMIC PROBLEM THAT IS A 3
THREAT TO HUMAN HEALTH. 3
WE NEED TO SOLVE IT NOW. 3
THE GOOD NEWS IS WE CAN. 3
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? 3
SINCE EARLY SPRING WE SAW A 3
STATE OF EMERGENCY IN FLORIDA 3
BECAUSE OF THE BLUE-GREEN ALGAE 3
IN LAKE OKEECHOBEE GOING EAST 3
AND WEST TO THE ST. LUCIE AND 3
COLUSA ARCHIE. 3
THE MIXING OF THE POLLUTED 3
WATER WITH THE RED TIDE ON THE 3
WEST COAST HAS EXPANDED ALGAE 3
AS FAR NORTH AS TAMPA BAY. 3
THE LAKE AS PART OF THE 3
PROBLEM. 3
LAKE OKEECHOBEE IS A SICK BODY 3
OF WATER. 3
WHEN THE WATER LEVELS RISE, THE 3
ONLY OPTION IS TO OPEN THE 3
GATES ON THE EAST AND WEST. 3
ALL OF THAT POLLUTED WATER 3
GOES TO THE COAST. 3
EITHER THROUGH THE COLUSA 3
ARCHIE OR THE ESTUARY. 3
THE POLLUTION KILLS 3
EVERYTHING IN SIGHT, NOT JUST 3
ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE. 3
BUT WE HAVE BUSINESSES CLOSING. 3
WE ARE ENTERING THE HEIGHT OF 3
THE TOURISM SEASON, WE RELY ON 3
OVER 100 MILLION TOURISTS PER 3
YEAR IN REAL ESTATE TO BE 3
TRANSACTING. 3
WE DON'T HAVE A STATE INCOME 3
TAX. 3
WE RELY ON SALES TAX AND 3
PROPERTY TAXES. 3
THIS IS OUR ECONOMY. 3
UNLESS WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO 3
SOLVE THESE WATERWAY ISSUES, 3
THIS IS A DIRECT THREAT TO THE 3
FUTURE OF FLORIDA. 3
WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT NEED 3
TO COME ONLINE. 3
THERE IS A RESERVOIR SET OF THE 3
LAKE THAT NEEDS TO BE 3
AUTHORIZED BY THE UNITED STATES 3
SENATE. 3
WE CALL ON MITCH McCONNELL TO 3
SCHEDULE A VOTE AND LET'S BEGIN 3
THE CONSTRUCTION. 3
POLITICS OFTEN INTERCEDES IN 3
THESE THINGS. 3
THERE IS A BILL THAT SENATOR 3
MARCO RUBIO -- MARCO RUBIO AND 3
OTHERS HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR. 3
EVEN THE PRESIDENT IS SUPPORTIVE3
. ALL IT REALLY NEEDS IS TO 3
COME TO THE CENTER VOTE. 3
AND MITCHELL, IS HOLDING IT 3
UP. 3
DO WE KNOW WHY? 3
I HEARD THERE IS AN ISSUE 3
WITH A NORTH CAROLINA SENATOR. 3
RICHARD BURR FROM NORTH 3
CAROLINA HAS CONCERNS ABOUT 3
BEACHES IN NORTH CAROLINA. 3
WE HAVE BEACHES IN FLORIDA THAT 3
ARE CLOSED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF 3
THE ALGAE ISSUES. 3
WHETHER IT IS RED, BLUE, 3
GREEN, OR BROWN. 3
THERE IS ALGAE IMPACTING OUR 3
STATE. 3
WE NEED THE UNITED STATES 3
SENATE, MITCH McCONNELL IN 3
PARTICULAR, TO SIMPLY SCHEDULE 3
A VOTE FOR THE LEGISLATION. 3
THE HOUSE PASSED IT 3
UNANIMOUSLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS 3
AGO. 3
ONCE THE SENATE PASSES THE 3
LEGISLATION, THIS RESERVOIR 3
SOUTH OF THE LAKE NEEDS TO BE 3
BUILT IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. 3
IT WILL BE THE NEW OUTLET TO 3
SEND LAKE WATER TO THE SOUTH. 3
WE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE 3
AMOUNT WE DUMP EAST AND WEST. 3
IT STILL DOESN'T ADDRESS THE 3
ISSUE OF THE POLLUTANTS IN THE 3
LAKE. 3
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT, WE'RE 3
TALKING ABOUT PHOSPHORUS AND 3
RUNOFF. 3
EVERYTHING FROM THE CATTLE 3
RANCHES, ORANGE GROVES AND 3
SUBURBS. 3
EVERYTHING FROM ORLANDO AND 3
DISNEY SOUTH FLOWING DOWN THE 3
KISSIMMEE RIVER INTO LAKE 3
OKEECHOBEE, THAT IS WHITE IT IS 3
SO UNHEALTHY RIGHT NOW. 3
THAT IS A VITAL PART OF OUR 3
DRINKING WATER SUPPLY. 3
THIS IS NOT A HALF 1 MILLION 3
PEOPLE LIVING IN THE STATE OF 3
WYOMING. 3
WE ARE 21 MILLION STRONG IN 3
THIS STATE. 3
THE THIRD MOST POPULATED STATE 3
IN THE UNION. 3
WE HAVE A CHALLENGE RIGHT 3
NOW OF TOO MUCH POLLUTION AND 3
TOO MUCH FERTILIZERS ENTERING 3
OUR WATERWAYS. 3
YOU MENTIONED LAKE OKEECHOBEE 3
FROM THE NORTH. 3
FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS PLUS, 3
THERE WAS LEGISLATION SIGNED TO 3
CLEAN UP LAKE OKEECHOBEE. IF WE 3
WANT TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT THE 3
POLLUTION, WE HAVE TO LOOK TO 3
THE NORTH. 3
THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF 3
FLORIDA, THE GOVERNOR, THE 3
LEGISLATURE AND WE HAVE TO 3
PRODUCE -- REDUCE POLLUTION 3
ENTERING. 3
ONCE WE DO THAT, WE ARE NOT 3
ADDING TO IT. 3
PART OF THE EVERGLADES 3
FOUNDATION WORKS WITH 3
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. 3
WHETHER IT IS IN THE 3
LEGISLATURE IN TALLAHASSEE OR 3
WASHINGTON DC. 3
YOU HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF 3
NAVIGATING THE BIPARTISAN ASPECT3
. 3
THIS IS A POLITICAL YEAR. 3
MOTORS ARE CHOOSING THE NEXT 3
FLORIDA GOVERNOR AND UNITED 3
STATES SENATOR. 3
THIS ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS HAS 3
BECOME A POLITICAL ISSUE IN 3
THOSE RACES. 3
I KNOW YOU AREN'T GOING TO 3
TAKE SIDES IN THAT. 3
BUT WHAT SHOULD VOTERS KNOW AND 3
BE THINKING ABOUT AS THEY GO TO 3
THE POLLS? 3
THIS ISSUE IS THE NUMBER ONE 3
CAMPAIGN ISSUE WE ARE SEEING. 3
THE ALGAE AND THE WATER. 3
WHAT-I TRAVEL AROUND FLORIDA 3
AND MEET WITH COUNTLESS PEOPLE 3
CONCERNED WITH THIS FROM 3
CONSERVATIVE TO LIBERAL. 3
THIS IS A UNIFYING ISSUE. 3
THEY ARE TIRED OF THE PLANKING 3
AND POINTING OF FINGERS. 3
THEY WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE 3
ARE GOING TO SOLVE IT. 3
ONCE THE RESERVOIR IS 3
AUTHORIZED SOUTH OF THE LAKE, 3
THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA 3
HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMIT 3
TO BUILDING IT WITHIN FOUR 3
YEARS. 3
IN THE NEXT TERM OF 3
GOVERNOR, THE RESERVOIR NEEDS 3
TO BE BUILT. 3
WILL SAY, IT TAKES 10 TO 15 3
YEARS. 3
THAT'S THE PROBLEM, WE DON'T 3
TELL THE FIRE ENGINES TO GO 3
FIGHT THE FIRE IMMEDIATELY. 3
WE TELL THEM SLOW DOWN, TAKE 3
YOUR TIME, STOP AT EVERY 3
TRAFFIC LIGHT. 3
THIS STATE IS ON FIRE BECAUSE 3
OF THE ALGAE. 3
BEYOND THAT, THE LEGISLATURE 3
AND GOVERNOR HAS TO PUT IN 3
PLACE A PROGRAM THAT TRULY 3
CLEANS UP THE WATER ENTERING 3
LAKE OKEECHOBEE. 3
I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT ONCE 3
THE DUST SETTLES AND THE BLAME 3
GAME IS OVER, WHOEVER EMERGES 3
FROM THE ELECTIONS WILL BE ABLE 3
TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES. 3
BECAUSE THE PUBLIC WILL DEMAND 3
THEY DO SO. 3
YOU ARE ALSO BEHIND AN 3
EFFORT TO TRY TO FIND 3
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO 3
CLEANING THE LAKE. WHAT IS THE 3
STATUS OF THE CONTEST? 3
THIS IS NOT ISOLATED TO 3
FLORIDA. 3
WATER BODIES ALL AROUND THE 3
WORLD ARE SUFFERING FROM TOO 3
MUCH ALGAE. 3
WE PUT A $10 MILLION ON THE 3
TABLE. 3
THE GEORGE MORLEY WATER PRIZE. 3
WE HAVE NINE TEAMS COMPETING 3
AND AT THE END OF THE MONTH WE 3
WILL SELECT THE FINAL FOUR TO 3
COME TO FLORIDA ON LAKE JESSUP. 3
THEY WILL SIT THERE FOR OVER 14 3
MONTHS WITH ALL THE POLLUTED 3
WATER GOING TO THE TECHNOLOGY. 3
WE HOPE FOR AND INNOVATIVE 3
BRICKS -- BREAKTHROUGH FOR 3
WATER BODIES AROUND THE GLOBE. 3
VERY EXCITING, WE WANT TO 3
STAY ON TOP OF THAT CONTEST, IT 3
COULD BE A REAL BREAKTHROUGH. 3