Stop politicizing water problems and tackle them | Another view

Fifteen years ago, the Naples Daily News published a 15-part series called “Deep Trouble: The Gulf in Peril” to sound the alarm about the distressing decline of water quality in the Gulf of Mexico from the Florida Keys to Mexico.

“America’s sea, the once teeming and vibrant Gulf of Mexico, is gravely sick by any reckoning,” the series began on Sept. 28, 2003, following an 18-month investigation by a team of 16 reporters and photographers.

Through Oct. 12, 2003, the series spanning 118 newspaper pages without advertising documented the geographic threats in all Gulf rim states and explored the trends causing the pollution. We were sickened at the time by the declining Gulf water quality.

Today, we’re not only sickened by the conditions, problems and threats that unthinkably remain as true today as they did 15 years ago, but also by the politicizing of our water quality by candidates and both major political parties in the midterm election.

Looking back

These were some key findings and take-aways regarding Florida. Keep in mind this was from 15 years ago:

Tourism was threatened by more frequent and intense red tide. Excessive runoff carrying nutrients from exploding coastal development, coupled with man’s destruction of nature’s own filtration system, was damaging tributaries and the Gulf. The coastline was shrinking from rising waters. Cutbacks to budgets and regulations intended to protect water quality were referred to as a “death by 1,000 cuts.”

MORE: Coughing coastguards leave Martin County beaches

Wildlife hospitals were treating more sea creatures afflicted in degraded waters. Reefs were dying; fishing and ecosystems were declining. A dead zone barren of sea life surfaced offshore Collier County, much smaller than the persistent one near Louisiana, but nonetheless concerning.

Offshore drilling companies, seeking to explore more watery grounds, assured us technological monitoring advances would protect the Gulf from harmful oil spills. Seven years later came Deep Horizon.

Manure and crop-treating chemicals were filtering into and spoiling waterways. Back-pumping from agricultural lands south of Lake Okeechobee and the subsequent release into the Caloosahatchee River raised water management concerns. The lake itself was dying. Leaching septic tanks near the coastline exacerbated the pollution.

The series also identified potential solutions, including above-ground storage and injection-and-recovery wells for excess rainwater.

In recent weeks our editorial board has interviewed candidates for state and federal office. It’s been haunting to hear one or another bring up virtually everything we’ve just listed above, reminiscent of our findings 15 years ago.

Blame isn't a game

Our goal isn’t to assess blame on any single public official.

We would note, however, that Everglades Restoration projects in 2003 held great promise not only for protecting the River of Grass but Florida’s Gulf. In a supposed 50-50 partnership, the federal government has severely lagged in this marriage until the past couple of years.

Don’t single out Republicans or Democrats for blame. They both deserve it. Since 2003 we’ve had about eight years of Republican administrations and eight years of a Democratic administration in Washington.

Republicans and Democrats pointing fingers at one another won’t accomplish anything. Collaborative handshakes just might.

Don’t take our word for it. Let’s listen to Michael Crosby, chief executive officer of respected Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota. He recently was quoted about lingering red tide: “Pointing a finger at any individual in an elected position and saying that person is the cause of what we're experiencing now is, not only naïve, but it's counterproductive. This is a time we need to work together.”

The Gulf is still dying. This is a funeral that nobody should want to attend.