MURPHY APPLAUDS CORPS DECISION TO MOVE MORE WATER SOUTH OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE

Washington, D.C. – February 29, 2016 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Representative Patrick E. Murphy (FL-18) applauded the announcement made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that they will increase flows from Lake Okeechobee south into Everglades National Park. Raising the water levels of the L-29 canal, which runs parallel to the Tamiami Trail, can help reduce the negative impact heavy rainfall has caused throughout the entire Everglades system, including the discharges east and west from the lake that are harming the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon on the Treasure Coast.

“I have been in close contact with the Army Corps of Engineers, environmental organizations, and federal, state, local, and tribal officials across the state to discuss what immediate actions can be taken to address the ongoing crisis in our waterways. I applaud the Corps for working diligently to take action to move more water south of Lake Okeechobee,” said Murphy. “While we continue to work together on short-term solutions to this immediate crisis, I remain committed to making sure we move forward on critical projects like the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) that will move more clean water south and repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike so more water can be safely stored in the lake, both of which will help reduce the need for discharges east and west. These long-term solutions are needed to restore the natural flow of the Everglades south to address a decades-old problem that continues to hurt our community year after year.”

As a native Floridian, Congressman Murphy has focused on protecting our environment and the role it plays in our future, our economy, and our entire way of life. Since his first days in office, Murphy has been a vocal advocate for both long-term and short-term solutions to improve the health of local waterways, most recently leading a broad bipartisan group from the Florida Congressional Delegation in calling on Congress to authorize CEPP in the upcoming water bill and funding for Everglades restoration efforts for projects like the C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area on the Treasure Coast. For his continued efforts, Murphy was recognized by Keep Martin Beautiful with its Environmental Leadership Award in 2014, was named the 2014 Champion of the Everglades by Audubon Florida, and earned the Distinguished James D. Webb Public Service Award from the Everglades Coalition in 2015.