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Decision time on LOSOM

By JIM METZLER - | Jul 27, 2021

In a recent guest commentary titled “The need to push back against the Army Corps” (https://www.captivasanibel.com/2021/06/15/the-need-to-push-back-against-the-army-corps/), we described how the U.S. Army Corps was in the final stages of establishing a new schedule to control releases out of Lake Okeechobee, referred to as LOSOM (Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual).

In the last month, we have written multiple letters to the Corps to advocate for choosing a plan that would be beneficial to the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Early last week, the Corps announced the plan they will use to form the basis of LOSOM.

In our last letter to the Corps, we recommended that it use that particular plan, but we also pointed out several deficiencies in that plan that would have a significant negative impact on the refuge. We will work with our partners to determine the best way to influence the Corps to make the changes to the plan to protect our area from massive releases of potentially dirty water.

Jim Metzler is co-chair for the Advocacy Committee for the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge. For more information, visit www.dingdarlingsociety.org.