Prevent Toxic Pollution in Florida Waterways

427

Goal: 500

Florida’s coastal waters and marine life are highly vulnerable to excess fertilizer, sewage and nutrient pollution, and yet Florida representatives want to allow the use of phosphogypsum, radioactive fertilizer waste, in road construction across the state. This is the same toxic waste product that precipitated a water quality crisis in Tampa Bay in 2021, when 400 million gallons of wastewater from phosphogypsum stacks were discharged into the bay from the Piney Point fertilizer plant. More than a year’s worth of nutrients was dumped into Tampa Bay in less than 10 days, exacerbating what would become the worst red tide event in 50 years and killing more than 1,600 tons of marine life.

Phosphogypsum puts clean water - the primary driver of the state’s $101.9 billion tourism economy - at risk of collapse.

Floridians deserve clean water to swim, surf and play in. At a time when we need to urgently address water pollution at the source, the state should not allow radioactive materials in road construction. The toxic runoff and its public health and environmental implications will be disastrous for clean water in Florida and all who depend on it. Take action today and ask Governor DeSantis to veto this bad bill for water quality.

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Dear Governor DeSantis,

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I am writing to urge you to veto HB1191 / SB1258 Use of Phosphogypsum.

The Piney Point phosphogypsum discharge crisis was only two short years ago, but its effects are still being felt as Tampa Bay recovers from the hundreds of millions of gallons of toxic wastewater that were discharged from the now-decommissioned fertilizer plant that led to the worst red tide in nearly 50 years and the death of 1,600 tons of marine life. To date, the state has spent more than $85 million on clean-up efforts.

As Florida’s beaches and estuaries grapple with harmful algal blooms, fish kills and seagrass die-offs, allowing the use of a known radioactive pollutant in roads will only further diminish and destroy the state’s most valuable resource: water. Permitting the use of phosphogypsum in road construction will inevitably lead to toxic runoff in local waterways endangering the public health of nearby communities, environmental health of waterways, and economic health of local businesses and the tourism industry.

Identifying and addressing nutrient pollution and impairments at the source has been a significant and lauded priority of your administration. As one of Florida’s innumerable beach-goers and a member of a community that depends on coastal recreation and clean water tourism, please protect clean water and veto HB1191 / SB1258 Use of Phosphogypsum.

Sincerely,
[your name will go here]
[your email address will go here] [your location will go here]

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