Hundreds flood in to see Erin Brockovich at water quality panel discussion in Fort Myers

Naples
Activist Erin Brockovich visits the Burroughs Home in Fort Myers to speak about water quality issues on Oct. 3, 2018.

With the polluted Caloosahatchee shimmering behind her, Erin Brockovich brought a standing-room-only crowd to its feet and sometimes to tears Wednesday as she rallied hundreds who'd gathered on behalf of the region's troubled waters.

The event at the Burroughs Home in Fort Myers capped a season of often impotent public ire at catastrophic devastation wrought by an unrelenting red tide and toxic blue-green algae.

As tourism revenues dwindled and businesses shut their doors, wave after dismal wave of dead sea creatures washed up on empty shorelines, necessitating the largest beach cleanup in Lee County history. (In advance of her appearance, the county distributed a release highlighting its crisis efforts, including hauling off more than 2,000 tons of dead things along its waterfronts.)

After a rock star's welcome, Brockovich took the microphone: "I'm here for you. I'm here to protect the water."

People filled every seat in the home's open-air pavilion and spilled onto the surrounding lawn. Alternating between passionate evangelist and pep-talking coach, Brockovich told them to focus on solutions. "We could stand here and blame everyone, but where's that going to get us?" she asked. "Superman is not coming. ... This is your backyard; this is your fight. You need to stand up, speak up, don't go away. Fight."

In case you missed it:Activist Erin Brockovich coming to Fort Myers in October

From August:Erin Brockovich speaks out on SWFL's algae crisis

And:Rick Scott’s algae plan not a hit with everyone

Also:Red tide bloom becoming more patchy off Lee County

Though billed as a water quality panel discussion, the atmosphere was more like a tent revival as the charismatic Brockovich urged her audience to rise up and use its power to make change. 

"Do not stand down. Stand up. You live it, you breathe it, you own it, you speak about it. And if I need to be here today to tell all of you, if you’re looking for permission to speak up and speak out, you absolutely have my permission," she said, before cheering drowned her voice.

 A handful of water warriors who've stayed in the headlines throughout Southwest Florida's yearlong crisis joined the famed environmentalist, each with suggestions for action.

Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani pointed out that in Florida algae toxins aren't regulated contaminants. "So here’s one takeaway that might be useful," he said. "Let’s ask the Florida Environmental Regulatory Commission to make toxins from harmful algal blooms a regulated contaminant in the state of Florida," thereby making it easier for governments to mandate their control.

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation's Rae Ann Wessel suggested the crowd turn its disdain for sugar farmers (boos rippled throughout the audience whenever sugar was mentioned) into positive action by persuading them to change crops.

"Here's the plan," she said. "We ask our state to incentivize moving water south for water farming. If we’re farming water instead of farming crops, we don’t have the same conflicts."

Sign thanking Erin Brockovich

And charter fishing captain Dan Andrews, of the nonprofit Captains for Clean Water, encouraged the crowd to hold lawmakers accountable.

"The Everglades Agricultural Reservoir is currently sitting in Washington, D.C., pending federal authorization and funding," Andrews said. "If we get that implemented in conjunction with the Central Everglades (plan) and the Tamiami Trail, it will cut discharges by over 50 percent. We need to work on that. We also need additional water treatment south of Lake Okeechobee, and we also need to prohibit nutrients from getting into the system." 

Brockovich came to prominence as a scrappy law clerk who doggedly built a case against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. for polluting California water wells and helped win a $333 million payment. She came to bigger fame when Julia Roberts played her in the 2000 film "Erin Brockovich." The real Brockovich had scorn aplenty for the government she says has failed its citizens.

"I thought corporations were difficult to deal with, but the law can come in and push them," she said. "Politics? Wow. I’ve never seen more people or a state drag their ass more than this situation. I’m dumbfounded."

Person after person came forward to tell stories of calling agencies and contacting lawmakers with no response.

"I can’t believe somebody’s not listening to you," Brockovich said. "I’ve got to tell you … I am baffled. I don’t know where the hell your state is. This is a crisis. Business is failing, people are sick, but I am telling you, I need you to start making those phone calls and start shouting from the rooftops."

The Florida Department of Health, in particular, earned her contempt after several people spoke of its failure to warn or respond to residents' concerns about toxic algae.

"I need you to rely on yourselves," she said. "Keep reporting it to the health department, but also report it to Community Healthbook  (Brockovich’s crowd-sourced website that geographically identifies illness). ... And I will start pushing that information down to your politicians who should be down here right now answering all these questions for you."

Before she left, Brockovich promised she'd be back, but not before again telling the crowd to keep fighting.

"Leaving today, I feel hopeful you will do your job," she said. "And there are amazing organizations that have your back. They're working along with you, and I need all of you to make sure you continue to work together. Keep moving forward, and stay at it."