By Joel Malkin
Apr 28, 2021
The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County issued a Health Alert over the harmful toxic algae bloom that s plaguing Lake Okeechobee.
Health officials took a water sample on Monday from the area surrounding the Pahokee Marina and found it contains highly toxic bacteria.
A Florida congressman took a tour of the area on Wednesday. The smell. The taste. I probably spit ten times as I walked over there.
U.S. Representative Brian Mast calls the algae bloom at the Pahokee Marina poison and is pushing to make discharges of such toxins against federal law. He says words like poison and toxic are not hyperbole. The algae actually meets levels determined by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Mast, who represents Martin, St. Lucie and parts of Palm Beach counties, urged Pahokee Mayor Keith Babb to provide alternative housing options for residents living around the marina until the water is determined to be safe.
Algae in the marina contained 860 parts per billion of the toxin microsystin, state data updated Wednesday shows. At 8 parts per billion, microsystin makes water too hazardous to touch, ingest or inhale for people, pets and wildlife, the EPA says.
Babb had not responded to Mast s letter as of Thursday afternoon, spokesperson Brad Stewart said. Nor had he answered TCPalm s questions about how many residents would have to be relocated and where they could possibly go.
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Terry Butler was beginning his eight-hour shift at the Pahokee Campground & Marina early Wednesday as government officials began gathering to address toxic algae that could be unleashed on the Treasure Coast if Lake Okeechobee discharges resume.
Butler spends his weekdays working at the marina, where he cleans boats, trims hedges and, for the past few weeks, has carefully weaved his way around the docks trying to avoid the putrid scent algae releases at his workplace. It s really hard for me to smell it every day. But I ve got to come to work, the 55-year-old Pahokee city employee said. I don t know about the risks. I m not aware of what it is . but every year, it comes in from somewhere else.
By Joel Malkin
Apr 28, 2021
The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County issued a Health Alert over the harmful toxic algae bloom that s plaguing Lake Okeechobee.
Health officials took a water sample on Monday from the area surrounding the Pahokee Marina and found it contains highly toxic bacteria.
A Florida congressman took a tour of the area on Wednesday. The smell. The taste. I probably spit ten times as I walked over there.
U.S. Representative Brian Mast calls the algae bloom at the Pahokee Marina poison and is pushing to make discharges of such toxins against federal law. He says words like poison and toxic are not hyperbole. The algae actually meets levels determined by the Department of Environmental Protection.
By Joel Malkin
Apr 28, 2021
The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County issued a Health Alert over the harmful toxic algae bloom that s plaguing Lake Okeechobee.
Health officials took a water sample on Monday from the area surrounding the Pahokee Marina and found it contains highly toxic bacteria.
A Florida congressman took a tour of the area on Wednesday. The smell. The taste. I probably spit ten times as I walked over there.
U.S. Representative Brian Mast calls the algae bloom at the Pahokee Marina poison and is pushing to make discharges of such toxins against federal law. He says words like poison and toxic are not hyperbole. The algae actually meets levels determined by the Department of Environmental Protection.