Island organizations testify on red tide impacts in Washington, D.C.
On Sept. 27, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Natural Resource Policy Director Rae Ann Wessel and Sanibel and Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce President John Lai were invited to testify at a red tide briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
The briefing was sponsored by Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio and hosted by the Ocean Conservancy and Citizens’ Climate Lobby to report on and highlight the nearly year-long red tide in the Gulf of Mexico.
Wessel requested federal action to reauthorize the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act, which expired days later but can be revived, and EPA funding for the healthy beaches program. The act enables the NOAA to monitor algae blooms, research their causes and give grants to affected communities, amongst other things. EPA funding cuts for the healthy beaches program over the summer required local funding to keep weekly beach monitoring from being cut.
“We can’t take risks with this. This isn’t a luxury. This is public health,” Wessel said.
The hearing highlighted the far reaching impacts from the red tide event occurring along the Gulf Coast of Southwest Florida since October 2017. With over 2,200 tons of dead marine life removed from Lee County beaches, and almost 200 dead sea turtles in Southwest Florida since the event began, the environmental impacts have been devastating. The tourism industry on Southwest Florida’s barrier islands has also been very negatively affected. Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach have lost close to $41 million due impacts from red tide in the last two months.
“Presenting at the red tide briefing on Capitol Hill was an incredible opportunity to provide the results of the economic impact survey from the chamber and quantify the revenue losses, jobs represented and concern of long range impacts that this event has posed to our community,” Lai said.
“Locally our partnership with organizations such as SCCF is powerful, but the opportunity to expand our influence with national organizations like the Ocean Conservancy and Citizens’ Climate Lobby, presenting to over 60 federal legislators, brings us one step closer to our goal of economic relief and Everglades restoration,” he added.
Founded in 1967, SCCF is dedicated to the conservation of coastal habitats and aquatic resources on Sanibel and Captiva and in the surrounding watershed. SCCF and the chamber partner to benefit local community businesses and natural resources.