Corporate Polluters and DeSantis Face Ire as Hundreds of Tons of Sea Life Dead in Florida

[douglas9]

The governor could declare this red tide an environmental emergency and free up funds for people hurt by the event."

Experts are linking Florida officials' decision to pump wastewater from the Piney Point fertilizer plant into the Tampa Bay earlier this year to the deaths of hundreds of tons of marine life which have piled up along Florida's coastline—threatening the region's biodiversity as well as its crucial fishing and tourism industries.

The wildlife has washed up along the Tampa Bay area's popular beaches in recent weeks, where local officials and scientists are linking the mass deaths to a red tide bloom that's been spotted near the shore in several areas.

"What we're mostly frustrated at is the prevention aspect and we’re hoping for someone on the state level to step it up, and hold these corporate polluters responsible."
—Thomas Patarek, Suncoast Surfrider

The red tide has killed more than 1,700 tons of marine animals in Pinellas County so far, according to Vox. The algae bloom was also linked to the deaths of 17 manatees between May and July.

Red tides can occur naturally in the Gulf of Mexico, but this year's toxic algae bloom, caused by an organism called Karenia brevis, has come weeks earlier than usual and is now being linked to a disaster at the decommissioned Piney Point plant in May, after state officials initially denied the connection.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/08/09/corporate-polluters-and-desantis-face-ire-hundreds-tons-sea-life-dead-florida

[Thomas Hurt]

1. The christofascists will take this as a sign of the end times...hell they want this to happen.

It is not a stretch to think they will do everything they can to make it happen. A twofer - owning the libs and one step close to God.

[Moostache]

2. Once again...play stupid games, win stupid prizes...

Floridians, keep on electing morons to Tallahassee and Washington...send thieves like Rick Scott to both places...send ineffectual power-grabbing chimps like Rubio to represent you in the Senate; happily sit back and bathe in the reflected glory of a Matt Gaetz interview, or suck up the snark of Ron Desantis selling your health and well-being and futures down the river to enhance his name recognition and Trumpy bona fides...

Seriously, the only place with a higher per capita ratio of asshat-to-voters is probably Texas...

You watched these cretins pound metaphorical beers and shots in their campaigns, you KNEW that they were lying to you and being crass just to stir the pot, yet you voted for them anyway (or simply failed to show up to vote against them in high enough percentages), and you put these imbeciles in power with no plans, no purpose, no intention to pass anything or do anything that did not involve crossed arms and the word "no".

Well, my advice, to anyone thinking this is going to get better and that Florida is a long-term good bet for a place to live. Don't do it. If you can avoid going, stay where you are...if you are already there, leave yesterday to get out in time.

Or stay in the game, and know that the "prizes" that await you are death and destruction on a biblical scale over the next 20 years or less. Mapmakers are going to have a hell of a time, as are citizens who find themselves stuck in a bankrupt failed state with no leadership and no plans to address anything.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. No doubt legions of Tampons will demand government fix the problem, with, of course, no increase...

in taxes or efforts on their part.

When I lived in Tampa (they hated being called "native tampons, btw) we had no red tides, although there were occasional fish kills for "unknown" reason. Rattlesnake bites and oleander poisonings were common, too, but they afflicted largely immigrant and/or poor populations, so few cared.

[mitch96]

4. Like TFG he does not really give a shit... Look at his actions on Red tide and Covid...

Actions not words....
m