Florida Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order Monday declaring a state of emergency due to the ongoing impacts of red tide in seven southwestern counties.
The algae outbreak started nine months ago and has become the state's longest on record since 2006. The red tide has killed scores of marine life, including countless crabs, eels and fish, as well as dozens of manatees, hundreds of endangered sea turtles, potentially a whale shark and 11 bottlenose dolphins.
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<span></span>The toxic bloom, which is caused by the Karenia brevis organism, has become a public health concern. Residents along the southwest coast have <a href="http://myfwc.com/redtidestatus" target="_blank">reported</a> respiratory problems due to winds picking up the aerosolized toxins. People can also become ill after consuming contaminated seafood.
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Harmful algal blooms can cause about $82 million in economic losses to the seafood, restaurant and tourism industries according to
<a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/why_habs.html" target="_blank">NOAA</a>.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODMwMTA4NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MTA0OTEwN30.9mFmjz5pshCy3XSFaGTM__Q96MzhPy4ia1GHS420dzo/img.jpg?width=980" id="e2a9c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="521a8dc573c6f37fe94298eb1cfc4dab" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Red Tide Status Map, August 10, 2018.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission</small>
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Scott's emergency was declared for Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
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"I am issuing an emergency declaration to provide significant funding and resources to the communities experiencing red tide, so we can combat its terrible impacts," Scott said in a
<a href="https://www.flgov.com/2018/08/13/gov-scott-issues-emergency-order-for-red-tide/" target="_blank">news release</a>. "This includes making additional FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) biologists and scientists available to assist in clean-up and animal rescue efforts."
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The executive order will direct $1.5 million in funds to state agencies, including $100,000 for Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium to increase its response to red tide impacts, $900,000 for hard-hit Lee County's cleanup efforts and $500,000 for <a href="https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us.html" target="_blank">VISIT FLORIDA</a> to establish an emergency grant program to help the affected communities bring in tourists.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="f2fd2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="WAT65U1576662123"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1029105487273504769" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Today, I issued an emergency declaration to help SW FL and Tampa Bay area combat impacts from red tide. We’re direc… https://t.co/4JUdWz2EvA</div> — Rick Scott (@Rick Scott)<a href="https://twitter.com/SenRickScott/statuses/1029105487273504769">1534192842.0</a></blockquote></div>
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Red tide is a natural phenomenon but some have pointed fingers at
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change">climate change</a>, as well as mining and agricultural practices that can cause excess nutrients to flush into the waters.
</p><p>
Gov. Scott, who has served for eight years, has also faced a share of the blame for the state's frequent red tide and blue-green algae outbreaks.
</p><p style="">
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/energy-environment/2018/08/09/florida-an-environmental-crisis-takes-center-stage-tight-senate-race/?utm_term=.a62182654114" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a> reported last week: </p><blockquote>During Scott's tenure, budgets for environmental agencies have been sharply reduced. The budget of the South Florida Water Management District, which oversees water issues from Orlando to Key West, was cut. Many of the more than 400 workers who lost their jobs in the $700 million cut were scientists and engineers whose jobs were to monitor pollution levels and algal blooms. Scott also abolished the Department of Community Affairs, which oversaw development in the state.
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Scott, who is battling incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson for the U.S. Senate, has accused Nelson and the federal government for "allowing discharges of tainted water from Lake Okeechobee that have led to ugly, smelly and potentially dangerous algal blooms in places including the state's St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers," the Post wrote.
</p><p>
"Washington politician Bill Nelson made a pledge 30 years ago to solve this problem," Scott's television
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kht2vAtfOkQ" target="_blank">ad</a> declares. "But Nelson's a talker, not a doer."
</p><p>
<span></span>Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla), visited Mote Marine Lab Monday and spoke with its scientists about ways to combat red tide. Earlier this year, Congress <a href="https://buchanan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/buchanan-legislation-fight-red-tide-passed-congress" target="_blank">successfully passed</a> a Buchanan-sponsored bill that added $8 million to combat toxic algae blooms.
</p><p>
Buchanan hopes to know how much of that funding will go to Florida in the coming days, the
<a href="https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article216615315.html" target="_blank">Bradenton Herald</a> reported.
</p><p style="">
"We need more scientists, we need more answers. There's still a lot of questions," he said, according to the Herald. "I've heard for many years of red tide being a natural occurrence, and I'm sure that's the case (for) hundreds of years, but I think there are things aggravating a lot of this and we've got to get serious about it. Because it affects animals and tourism and (the) value of real estate. We've got to get whatever resources we need and I think we'll do it on a bipartisan basis. I think enough is enough."
</p>
From Your Site Articles
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Trump-Linked Company Restoring Puerto Rico's Power Grid Feuds With San Juan Mayor
26 October 2017
Popular
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The company tasked with restoring Puerto Rico's electricity grid has apologized after feuding with the mayor of San Juan and threatening to pull its services.
"Mayor Cruz and everyone in Puerto Rico—on behalf of our employees, we would like to apologize for our comments earlier today, which did not represent who we are and how important this work is to help Puerto Rico's recovery," Whitefish Energy tweeted.
<p>
"We have a strong team on the ground, we are working hard and making good progress. Our goal is to continue to do all we can to help everyone in Puerto Rico in this time of need."
</p><p>
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/whitefish-puerto-rico-grid-2501263875.html" target="_blank">Questions have been raised</a> about how the company from Interior Sec. <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/ryan-zinke" target="_blank">Ryan Zinke</a>'s Montana hometown landed such a lucrative government bid. Whitefish only employed only two full-time staff members before <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/hurricane-maria" target="_blank">Hurricane Maria</a> struck Puerto Rico more than a month ago.
</p><p>
The tweet was sent after Mayor <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/carmen-yul%C3%ADn-cruz">Carmen Yulín Cruz </a>demanded more transparency about the tiny energy firm's $300 million contract which bypassed a formal bidding process.
</p><p>
The <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/small-montana-firm-lands-puerto-ricos-biggest-contract-to-get-the-power-back-on/2017/10/23/31cccc3e-b4d6-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.57f6b14651a9" target="_blank">Washington Post</a> reported earlier this week that Whitefish Energy CEO Andy Techmanski has ties to Secretary Zinke. One of Zinke's sons once worked at one of Techmanski's construction sites. The secretary's office and Whitefish deny that the alleged link lead to the contract.
</p><p>
Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee demanded a "full investigation" into the contract. House Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) also told reporters he has "questions" about the bid selection process.
</p><p>
"The contract should be voided right away, and a proper process which is clear, transparent, legal, moral and ethical should take place," Cruz told <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/san-juan-mayor-calls-cancelling-alarming-contract-puerto-rican-power-repairs-132636239.html" target="_blank">Yahoo News</a> Wednesday.
</p><p>
"It seems like what the Puerto Rican people are going to be paying for, or the American people are going to be paying for, is an intermediary that doesn't know what is at stake here and that really has to subcontract everything. What we need is somebody that can get the job done and that has the expertise to get the job done."
</p><p>
Later on Wednesday, Whitefish <a href="https://twitter.com/WhitefishEnergy/status/923240245822394368" target="_blank">replied</a>: "We share the mayor's frustration with the situation on Puerto Rico, but her comments are misplaced. Whitefish has more than 300 workers on the island and that number is growing daily. We are making progress and doing work when others are not even here. We find her comments to be very disappointing and demoralizing to the hundreds of people on our team that have left their homes and families and have come here to help the people of Puerto Rico."
</p><p>
Tensions only ramped up from there. Cruz, who has sparred with <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-watch/">President Trump</a> over the administration's <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/hurricanes">hurricane</a> relief efforts, sent off a series of tweets.
</p><p>
"You think I am the only one in the world who has commented on this?" she wrote. "What is it about women having an opinion that irritates some?"
</p><p style="">
"If @WhitefishEnergy feels that asking for transparency is "misplaced," what are they afraid we will find," she added.
</p><p>
Whitefish then shot back, "We've got 44 linemen rebuilding power lines in your city & 40 more men just arrived. Do you want us to send them back or keep working?"
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="d9464" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3SWNF41576662850"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="923269837815795712" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@CarmenYulinCruz We’ve got 44 linemen rebuilding power lines in your city & 40 more men just arrived. Do you want u… https://t.co/LtoK507XHE</div> — Whitefish Energy (@Whitefish Energy)<a href="https://twitter.com/WhitefishEnergy/statuses/923269837815795712">1508959657.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p style="">
The company's tweet only raised more concerns. "They are threatening not to do their job which frankly is quite irregular for a company hired to the work for the public sector," Cruz wrote.
</p><p>
Whitefish finally issued an apology Wednesday night.
</p><p>
Cruz has not issued a direct response but retweeted several posts, including:
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="c8fd2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="KYFMB91576662850"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="923381013560127489" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">You just don't get it. We see you as leaches. Work is "important" for you because it'll make you millionaires while… https://t.co/hCA45EZjF2</div> — Armando Valdés (@Armando Valdés)<a href="https://twitter.com/armandovaldes/statuses/923381013560127489">1508986163.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="e7255" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="412F391576662850"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="923380065185992706" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">When are you gonna erase the two offensive tweets? #SorryNotSorry https://t.co/HLmjMkGGgG</div> — Pedro Julio Serrano (@Pedro Julio Serrano)<a href="https://twitter.com/PedroJulio/statuses/923380065185992706">1508985937.0</a></blockquote></div>
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