July 31, 2013

President Barack Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC  20500

Dear Mr. President:

This is the first time I have ever written to my President. I have voted in every presidential election except one since Nixon/McGovern.  Let me admit right up front that I did not vote for you either time. But what I am writing about is so important to the health of my community, I need to ask for your help as my President.

You visited Martin and Saint Lucie Counties several months ago for a weekend of golf and relaxation at the Floridian Golf Club. I saw the jets and helicopters before and during your visit. I live right across the Saint Lucie River in Stuart. That is the reason I am writing you. The entire Indian River Lagoon, the most ecologically diverse estuary in North America into which the St. Lucie River flows, is dying. And it is dying solely because of actions by our state and local governments, but most importantly by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Currently, there are 4 billion gallons of fresh polluted water entering into the naturally brackish river every day from Lake Okeechobee. The Saint Lucie River was never connected to Lake Okeechobee naturally.  That feat was accomplished by man so that boats could go from the east coast to the west coast of Florida. Since it had no natural connection to a large body of fresh water, the Saint Lucie was meant to have a high salinity content. This is why today the fish, manatees, dolphins, oysters and sea grasses are dying. The water is polluted and fresh. It is nothing short of genocidal for the river. Even the county health department has said that humans should not be in contact with the water due to the high level of pollutants and bacteria.

In 1928 there was a devastating hurricane along the lake decimating entire communities. In response, the Federal Government began construction of the Herbert Hoover Dike which raised the depth of the lake. This fostered further human settlement and agriculture. The lake, instead of being allowed to naturally overflow its shallow banks and send its excess water into the everglades as it had done for hundreds of years, became a big retention pond. Now to prevent water pressure from building up and undermining the dike, water needs to be released when it reaches high levels.

It can’t be released to the south, which was where nature intended, because of the thousands and thousands of acres of subsidized sugar cane that has been planted. It is not necessary to go into the ill-conceived program of subsidizing a crop that is harmful to a fragile ecosystem and can be produced more efficiently elsewhere. The stark reality is we either choose to continue sugar cane production to the south or the death of the Indian River Lagoon.  This biodiverse lagoon serves as a hatchery area for many species, and our local residents have watched as oyster beds have died; sea grasses have disappeared; and now are finding dead manatees, dolphins, and pelicans.

As far as I am concerned this should be a no brainer. If we can afford to spend billions of dollars on Afghanistan not to mention billions more on corporate agricultural greed, can we not afford to re-introduce the natural flow of water to the everglades? This particular problem has been around for years with only worse consequences occurring over time. Because of the millions and millions of dollars that the sugar industry (I guess using our tax dollars) have to contribute to politicians of both parties, those politicians will do nothing except tell us that they will further study the problem.  You are the President of the United States and no longer running for office. Please help before it is too late.