Following New Discharges from Lake O, Murphy, Posey File Bipartisan Bill to Help Indian River Lagoon

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representatives Patrick E. Murphy (FL-18) and Bill Posey (FL-08) reintroduced legislation to prioritize funding for estuary systems such as the Indian River Lagoon that are experiencing urgent ecological challenges with significant algal blooms and sea grass die-offs. The bipartisan Estuary Urgent Needs Priority Program Act would prioritize funds within the National Estuary Program (NEP) to meet high-priority needs across the nation's estuaries, including the ongoing crisis on the Treasure Coast, while also reserving funds within the NEP account to guarantee estuary base grant funding

Last year the Estuary Urgent Needs Priority Program Act was incorporated into the National Estuary Program Reauthorization Act, which passed the House in November with overwhelming bipartisan support. However no action was taken by the Senate before the close of the 113th Congress.

"With the frustrating and disappointing situation of ongoing discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie River, this is yet another call to action for both short-term and long-term solutions to help our local waterways. This bill is a simple, bipartisan solution to bring more funding opportunities to our area to help address the ongoing crisis taking place in the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon," said Rep. Murphy. "With the health of our economy directly tied to our waterways, this measure is well-deserving of the overwhelming bipartisan support it received in the House in the last Congress, and I hope that both chambers will act quickly on this common-sense bill to provide much-needed assistance to our Indian River Lagoon."

"Many of the nation's estuaries are experiencing urgent and challenging ecological problems, including our own Indian River Lagoon," said Rep. Posey. "Our bill simply requires that the EPA refocus existing funding to make sure that the money designated by Congress for estuaries is actually spent to address estuary needs."

Within amounts authorized for the NEP, this bipartisan bill would direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide awards in addition to estuary base grants for estuaries that are experiencing urgent and challenging ecological problems, including sea grass loss, reoccurring harmful algal blooms, invasive exotic species, and jellyfish proliferation. These awards would be provided on a competitive basis through funds already authorized for the NEP program and would not adversely impact the amount of base grants for estuaries. In FY 2014 the program was funded at $25.1 million with each of the nation's 28 estuaries receiving a base grant of $538,000. This year the program will receive $26.7 million with approximately $16.8 million going directly to the estuaries leaving a large sum of money available to be directed to other critical needs on the ground.

As a staunch advocate for Florida's waterways and environment, this is the third bipartisan bill Congressman Murphy has introduced within the first month of the 114th Congress to prioritize short-term (Ten Mile Creek) and long-term (CEPP Act) solutions to help local waterways and overall Everglades restoration work. For these continued efforts, Murphy was recently recognized by the Everglades Coalition with their distinguished Public Service Award and was named Audubon Florida's 2014 Champion of the Everglades.

Source