LAKE OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (AP) — Traverse Florida’s largest freshwater lake in an air boat, and you’ll find no sign of the turmoil that water levels caused last summer.
The political waters in Tallahassee, though, are roiling over Lake Okeechobee and other hydrological woes, from Florida’s Big Bend to the state’s signature springs to a treasured estuary along the Atlantic.
Residents, lawmakers and environmental advocates want the state to better manage its water resources. However, the speaker of the House has said no major change to water policies is likely to come out of the upcoming legislative session.
Republican House Majority Leader Steve Crisafulli, of Merritt Island, says what is up for discussion is funding for projects such as a cleanup in the Indian River Lagoon and finding ways to store more water north of Lake Okeechobee.
Source: Associated Press
