Algae blooms, septic tanks, and two very interesting items in today's Post print edition (7/14)

Below is a very interesting and thoughtful Letter to the Editor. But first are two excerpts from Jennifer Sorentrue's article:

     Facing an environmental crisis over algae blooms that have turned some Treasure Coast waterways a bright green, Gov. Rick Scott said last week that he plans to seek state money to help curb what he calls a “major contributor” to the pollution problem — septic tanks. [emphasis added]
     While few experts argue against reducing the amount of untreated sewage leaching out of underground tanks across the Treasure Coast, many say the governor’s approach would not eliminate the recurrent problem of blue-green algae choking inland waters.

[and. . .]

     The governor announced on July 6 that he will set aside “additional funding” in his 2017-18 budget proposal to create a voluntary program that would encourage residents living near the Indian River Lagoon and Caloosahatchee River on the state’s west coast to ditch their septic tanks and connect to public sewer systems.

Now to that interesting Letter to the Editor from Newton Cook, the executive director of United Waterfowlers-Florida Inc., two excerpts:

Too many advocates with personal or group agendas have hijacked the appearance of blue-green algae in the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon, often making public statements that are at least misleading and sometimes false.
     Algae appear naturally in warm, freshwater systems. Lake Okeechobee is only one of several blooms during this year of record rain and warmth.

[and. . .]

     The misinformation most often heard is that the farmers in the Everglades Agriculture Area (EAA) south of Lake Okeechobee are somehow responsible for the bloom. The fact that most lake water comes from the watershed north of the lake and makes up much of the water going from the lake into C-44 to the St. Lucie River is too often ignored.
     Actually, most EAA water goes south into the large water conservation areas. No noted algae blooms have been reported in those marshes to date.