Florida Algae Blooms: A problem with no easy solution

Hamilton Steimer
Sep 7, 2018 · 4 min read

Week 2 Assignment: What is Policy?

In their article, Gov. Scott’s Policies are Contributing to Florida’s Toxic Algal Bloom, Alexandria Carter and Miriam Goldstein, both researchers in Ocean Policy at the Center for American Progress, discuss the ongoing algal blooms afflicting the coastline and waters of southern Florida. Primarily focused on the state and local levels, Carter and Goldstein voice their dissatisfaction with Gov. Rick Scott’s response to the crisis. The authors condemn past Floridian land management policy of the last several decades that significantly expanded the Lake Okeechobee watershed, and they criticize Gov. Scott’s short term response plan to the algal blooms which they claim will only exacerbate the problem (Carter and Goldstein, 2018). Both researchers express their outrage over the government’s contribution to this problem and its failure to provide long term solutions. At present, local economies are suffering because of the absence of tourists, marine and coastal wildlife are dying, and many people are ailing because of the toxic algae. With the algal blooms continuing and the threat of further outbreaks likely, the two researchers advocate for new leadership who will “[restore] the Everglades, [improve] local infrastructure, and [stand] up to corporations that send their problems downstream.” Even with increased public attention to the threat of algal blooms, a solution does not appear to be arriving soon.

Florida is currently being stricken by red tide along its southwest coastline and by intense outbreaks of blue algal blooms in Lake Okeechobee and its massive watershed. Carter and Goldstein mention several reasons for the increasing severity of algae outbreaks in their article. Due to the conversion of Florida wetlands for agricultural purposes, nutrient rich runoff can exacerbate the growth of blue algae in surrounding freshwater sources. Also, the government altered the watershed surrounding Lake Okeechobee by creating an extensive canal system, so algae can be swept out further than normal all the way to the southwest coastline. In addition to the destruction of ecologically rich wetlands and the manipulation of natural river flow, human activity is directly contributing to the proliferation of harmful blue algae blooms. The loss of the wetlands’ natural filtration capabilities and an increasingly warmer climate will contribute to more frequent algae blooms of increasing destructive potential. These blooms, now combined with the impact of red tide, kill vulnerable wildlife, disrupt local economies, and are potential health hazards.

In addition to crediting agricultural activity and human disruption of natural ecosystems with magnifying the blue algae problem, the article’s authors blame Gov. Scott for opposing EPA limits on nutrient pollution. They also condemn his shortsighted solution of cleaning up the blue algae mess and his $50 million dollar plan to retain the nutrient rich water within Lake Okeechobee because neither solve the origin of the problem and may even make it worse. Carter and Goldstein’s frustration is tangible as they look upon the dying marine wildlife, suffering coastal economies, and hospitalized Floridians. They directly challenge Gov. Scott by calling for more proactive leadership that will not “[sell] out Florida’s beaches and waters.” The authors recognize the important role of Gov. Scott in solving this ongoing crisis, but they believe politics are getting in the way of sound policy that could help the state, its wildlife, and its people.

Carter and Goldstein advocate for policies that will reduce nutrient pollution such as the restoration of the Everglades, the improvement of local infrastructure, and increasing political resistance to corporations that pollute Florida’s waterways. In contrast with Gov. Scott’s clean up and nutrient retention plans, Carter and Goldstein advocate for long term strategies and claim that better solutions are out there. The Sierra Club writes about Florida Senate Bill 10 which would allow the state government to buy back land in the Everglade Agricultural Area so that a new reservoir could be constructed and Lake Okeechobee’s nutrient rich overflow would not have to be sent downstream (Renner, 2018). While not solving the source of nutrient pollution, the Sierra Club’s plan would help prevent the spreading of blue algae outbreaks on the lake to surrounding bodies of water. Alternatively, the Everglades Foundation has established a $10 million dollar competition to fund research for a solution to remove the large amounts of phosphorus contributing to the algal blooms in Lake Okeechobee (Allen, 2018). The Foundation hopes to reduce the negative consequences of agricultural runoff by creating water treatment plants along water sources that feed into Lake Okeechobee, so the phosphorus could be removed before entering the lake and igniting blue algae outbreaks.

While several solutions have been proposed as possible answers to the algal bloom problem, it will take years for the change to occur, and more than one solution has political and economic drawbacks. The drastic land changes required to restore the Everglades would require further scientific consideration, and the construction of alternative reservoirs for Lake Okeechobee or addition of new water treatment plants would take time and taxpayer monies. Additionally, the changing of built canals could impact surrounding communities, and considerable political will would be required to remove the established agricultural industry. At present, wildlife and coastal communities are feeling the powerful effects of years of inappropriate agricultural development, poor land management policies, and warming climate. As algae blooms occur more frequently and with increasing severity, the federal and state governments will need to devise new policies to deal with this difficult problem.

Allen, G. (2018, July 06). Figure Out How To Cheaply Fix Algae Blooms And Win $10 Million. Retrieved August 20, 2018, from https://www.npr.org/2018/07/06/626601088/figure-out-how-to-cheaply-fix-algae-blooms-and-win-10-million

Carter, A., & Goldstein, M. (2018, August 08). Gov. Scott’s Policies Are Contributing to Florida’s Toxic Algal Bloom. Retrieved August 20, 2018, from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2018/08/08/454529/gov-scotts-policies-contributing-floridas-toxic-algal-bloom/

Renner, R. (2018, July 30). Waterkeepers Fight to Save Florida From Toxic Algae. Retrieved August 20, 2018, from https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/waterkeepers-fight-save-florida-toxic-algae