Florida-based captains and anglers are traveling to Tallahassee this week, urging state lawmakers to follow what was outlined in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan in 2000. In other words, to build the reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee that would store, clean, and properly convey fresh water, sending more of it south to Florida Bay.
The move follows last week’s pilgrimage to the state capital, where dozens of South Florida citizens spoke before the Florida Senate Appropriations committee in favor of SB10, the bill that would create the reservoir and ease the cycles that continue to trigger algae blooms. (Such as this one in Islamorada.) SB10 passed committee and is now headed for the senate floor.
Tuesday’s Sportfishing Day event, part of the It’s Now or Neverglades movement, will include more meetings with legislators from districts across Florida.
“The Edison Restaurant, in Cascade Park in Tallahassee, will be our base of operations. We will have food throughout the day, and will be setting up meetings with legislators at the capitol. Capping off the day will be a big party in the park with lawmakers.”
Nearly 59,000 have signed the Now or Neverglades Declaration to date. Text ‘SOUTH’ to 91990′ to sign a mobile-friendly NON declaration.
Tom Bie is the founder, editor, and publisher of The Drake. He started the magazine in 1998 as an annual newsprint publication based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He then moved it to Steamboat, Colorado (1999), Boulder, Colorado (2001), and San Clemente, California (2004), as he took jobs as managing editor at Paddler, Senior Editor at Skiing, and Editor-in-Chief at Powder, respectively. Tom and The Drake are now both based in Denver, Colorado, where The Drake is finally all grows up(Swingers, 1996) to a quarterly magazine.