Congressman Clawson introduces amendment to protect SWFL water

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Southwest Florida’s Congressman, Curt Clawson, introduced an amendment to H.R. 2028, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

The amendment would move $1 million of the Army Corps of Engineers’ salary and expense budget to the Army Corps’ budget for construction projects like the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration and the Herbert Hoover Dike.

The house approved the amendment but has not voted on the complete bill yet.

Such projects would reduce the polluted and toxic discharge that flow west from Lake Okeechobee, down the Caloosahatchee River into the Gulf of Mexico along the coast of Southwest Florida.

Immediately following the introduction of the Murphy-Clawson Amendment, Congressman Clawson stated on the floor of the House:

“The dirty discharges (of Lake Okeechobee) are damaging our tourism economy and drinking water, our beaches, our businesses – our national treasure.  The Federal Government and the State of Florida, are working to restore the Everglades with a larger fresh water supply – but we can  do more.”