Blue-Green Algae Task Force Provides Recommendations to Lawmakers

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis formed a five-member task force to advise regulatory and legislative bodies on solutions to blue-green algae blooms.

The Blue-Green Algae Task Force is an advisory body of five nationally recognized scholars who aid the Department of Environmental Protection in fulfilling its mission to protect, conserve and manage the state’s natural resources and enforce its environmental laws. The task force will provide guidance and specific, science-based recommendations with the goal of expediting improvements and restoration of Florida’s water bodies that have been affected by blue-green algae.

The task force has placed its focus on source identification, nutrient reduction and remediation efforts with additional guidance provided on innovative technologies as they relate to the prevention, cleanup, and mitigation of harmful algal blooms. The task force will also report on the issue of algal toxins and human health impacts to help the community better understand the issue.

The blue-green task force plays an important role in protecting Florida’s water and will continue to work with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to develop more comprehensive regulations and ensure agricultural operations, wastewater treatment plants, onsite sewage disposal systems, and urban stormwater runoffs have a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) in place to prevent nutrient over-enrichment in Florida’s waters.

Further Reading:
Blue-Green Algal Dashboard
Blue-Green Algae Taskforce Efforts