HEALTH

U.S. Rep. Brian Mast among members of Congress forming Roosevelt Conservation Caucus

Tyler Treadway
Treasure Coast Newspapers

U.S. Rep. Brian Mast and seven other members of Congress and the U.S. Senate are forming the Roosevelt Conservation Caucus, which will embrace and promote efforts to advance conservation and address environmental issues.

More:Trump White House hosts Port St. Lucie bait shop owner who touts his environmental record

The members will announce the new group at a news conference at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Senate Radio-Television Gallery.

U.S. Rep. Brian Mast announced he's filing the Prioritizing Revised Operations to Eliminate Cyanobacteria Toxins in Florida Act, or the PROTECT Florida Act, which is a revision of the bill The Stop Harmful Discharges Act, during a news conference Monday, June 17, 2019, along the St. Lucie River in Stuart. Mast was supported by a variety of residents and dignitaries, Alex Gillen, executive director of the Friends of the Everglades, Kelli Glass Leighton, city of Stuart commissioner, Mike Meier, city of Stuart commissioner, Blair Wickstrom, publisher of Florida Sportsman magazine, Cristina Maldonado, a veterinarian of Stuart, Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, South Florida Water Management District board member, and Ed Zyak, a local fishing guide of Jensen Beach.

Other members of the new caucus, all Republicans, are:

  • Rep. Will Hurd of Texas
  • Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
  • Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado
  • Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
  • Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio
  • Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina
  • Sen. Steve Daines of Montana

The caucus is named for President Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican who helped establish 230 million acres of public lands during his presidency, including the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge in Indian River County, the country's first such refuge.

According to a news release from Mast's office, the caucus will take up such issues as:

  • Protecting Americans from the harmful health risks of water pollution
  • Ensuring “fishable and swimmable” water
  • Reducing ocean plastic pollution
  • Increasing access to America’s public lands and waters for outdoor recreation, hunting and fishing

As the representative for Martin, St. Lucie and northern Palm Beach counties, Mast has become involved in several environmental issues, primarily efforts to stop Lake Okeechobee discharges that cause harmful algae blooms in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers.

Mast was a vocal proponent of lowering Lake O levels during the dry winter season so the lake can hold more water during the wet summer season and prevent the need for discharges.

More: How high, how low should Lake Okeechobee go?

Most recently, Mast introduced legislation that would require the Army Corps of Engineers to consider the health and safety of people along the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers before releasing Lake O water., calling the bill the Prioritizing Revised Operations to Eliminate Cyanobacteria Toxins in Florida Act, aka the PROTECT Florida Act.

More:Mast introduces the PROTECT Florida Act

However, Mast voted against an appropriation bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in June that includes $200 million for Everglades restoration projects, complaining Democrats who control the House added too many unrelated appropriations for defense, labor and health and human services.

More: U.S. House approves bill with $200 million for Everglades restoration