Connect with the Chamber: Water quality top priority in 2019

Our environment is our economy. It’s the reason Southwest Florida’s founding families first settled here. And more than a century later, it’s the reason why seasonal residents flock to our shores, businesses relocate or expand here, and why our population continues to grow year after year.

But over the past few years, Southwest Florida has experienced a string of environmental setbacks – from red tide off our beaches to blue-green algae clogging our waterways – that have impacted our region’s pristine reputation as a premiere place to live, work and visit. It has taken a toll on our local economies, significantly impacting the tourism and hospitality industries that help keep our communities afloat.

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The economic impact is just one reason why the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce has identified water quality as a top public policy priority in 2019. We understand the devasting impact the blue-green algae and red tide events had on businesses in Collier and Lee counties and are committed to working toward sensible solutions to our water quality concerns.

To do that, the Naples Chamber has joined forces with several Lee County chambers to form the Southwest Florida Alliance of Chambers. The alliance is committed to working with our elected leaders to improve water quality and mitigate the devasting impacts algal blooms can have on the economy.

This partnership is one of the first times in recent years that chambers of commerce from the two counties have come together to work toward a common goal. Representing more than 4,600 businesses in Collier and Lee, we believe we can enact positive change by speaking with a unified voice.

We’re already seeing how working together can effect change. In September, the Naples Chamber and other members of the Southwest Florida Alliance of Chambers urged the U.S. Senate to pass the Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, which included $1.3 billion for the Everglades Agricultural Area. Federal lawmakers heeded our call. And in October, President Donald Trump signed the bill into law.

Our efforts don’t stop there; work must be done at all levels of government to improve water quality.

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Ahead of the 2019 legislative session, nearly 50 business and community leaders from Collier and Lee counties – including Naples Chamber staff – traveled to Tallahassee to meet with state lawmakers and agency heads to discuss the group’s legislative priorities. Among other things, the group conveyed its strong commitment to water quality and Everglades restoration, as well as the significant funding levels that go with it, outlined in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order and asked lawmakers to support:

The establishment of standards for blue-green algae in the water, air and on the beaches;

The creation of clear agency responsibility and protocols for public notification and posting at beach, boat ramp and park access points.

The establishment of statewide septic tank inspection and maintenance requirement; and start construction of the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir in 2019.

If enacted, these sensible steps can go a long way to improving water quality in Southwest Florida and across the state.

At the Naples Chamber, we also understand that we must make changes in our own backyard to improve water quality. We are pleased with ongoing discussions to address Collier County’s aging stormwater system and encourage commissioners to identify a dedicated funding source to improve and maintain the system.

By advocating for change that positively impacts Southwest Florida at the local, state and federal levels, we are working each day to fulfill our mission of making Collier County the best place in America to live, work and visit.

To learn more about the Southwest Florida Alliance of Chambers 2019 water quality priorities, visit www.NaplesChamber.org/WaterQuality.