© 2024 90.7 WMFE. All Rights Reserved.
90.7 Orlando • 89.5 Ocala
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

DeSantis Calls On Entire Water Management District Board To Resign, Unveils Sweeping Toxic Algae Plan

The sun sets behind the lock and dam on Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie River. Photo by Amy Green
The sun sets behind the lock and dam on Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie River. Photo by Amy Green

Gov. Ron DeSantis has called for the resignation of the entire South Florida Water Management District governing board.

DeSantis is asking for the resignations effective immediately.

In a letter to the board, DeSantis wrote that Everglades restoration is the centerpiece of a new strategy to improve water quality and the actions of the South Florida Water Management District are incredibly important to its success.

Thanking each of the eight-member governing board for his service DeSantis says "it is time for a clean reset of the leadership of the Board."

The action comes the same day DeSantis signed a sweeping executive order aimed at toxic algae.

The order puts $2.5 billion towards Everglades restoration, empowers two separate task forces on toxic algae and establishes an office dedicated to sea level rise.

The South Florida Water Management District is the state agency overseeing Everglades restoration and manages water resources in Central and South Florida.

Amy Green covered the environment for WMFE until 2023. Her work included the 2020 podcast DRAINED.