Lee County mayors call emergency meeting to address Lake O back pumping

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – The mayors of Lee County’s six municipalities will hold an emergency joint meeting on Wednesday to discuss taking action against the more than 3.3 billion gallons of brown water released from Lake Okeechobee, which officials say has damaged the area’s economy and ecology.

The meeting will take place at 9 a.m. inside the Bonita Springs City Council Chambers, 9101 Bonita Beach Road SE.

It is one of several efforts surrounding the water releases. Leaders from all across Southwest Florida said they are putting pressure on the governor and the federal government to find a permanent solution.

On Tuesday, Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen wrote to Gov. Rick Scott to ask that he consider declaring a state of emergency for Lee County and its surrounding areas. Her letter came with an invitation for the governor to tour Southwest Florida “to see the places and people that have (been) negatively affected.”

Last week, Congressman Curt Clawson introduced emergency legislation that would expedite Everglades restoration so that overflow from Lake Okeechobee could eventually be directed to the wetland preserve. But he said more needs to be done.

“Unless we buy some land, unless we buy a flow-way like the option that we had last year to buy the sugar lands — unless we do something like that, there’ll be years that we can’t outrun the rain,” he said.

Recent rainfall has resulted in record water levels at the lake, forcing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release maximum levels of water into the Caloosahachee River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

The water releases keep the dike that holds the lake water from being damaged or collapsing, which nearby residents say will prevent an event similar to the levee breeches during Hurricane Katrina, but the dark water has created an eyesore for tourists and businesses along Lee County beaches.

Among other requests, the mayors of Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Estero, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel plan to ask for state and federal funding to help with relief efforts.

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