Letter to Honorable Wilton Simpson and Honorable Chris Sprowls, President and Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, After Horrendous Year of Pollution and Sea Grass Loss in Tampa Bay, Rep. Castor and Hillsborough Commissioner Mariella Smith Announce Plans to Protect, Improve Water Quality of Tampa Bay

Letter

January 7, 2022
The Honorable Wilton Simpson
President
409 The Capitol
404 S. Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
The Honorable Chris Sprowls
Speaker
Florida House of Representatives
420 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
RE: Protect Tampa Bay economy and Tampa Bay
Dear President Simpson and Speaker Sprowls:
As Tampa Bay area leaders, I trust you share my commitment to protecting the Tampa Bay
area economy, the health of Tampa Bay itself and the entire watershed. I urge you to act to protect
and improve the water quality of Tampa Bay in the upcoming legislative session. The
devastating Piney Point disaster in 2021 and the resulting red tide, together with sewage overflows,
water quality degradation and manatee die offs require action. Pollution in Tampa Bay has reduced
the healthy seagrass beds after decades of improvement. Fish, manatees and marine life are hurting.
The historic bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ("IIJA") provides the
State of Florida and local communities with important new resources to clean up Tampa
Bay, and I have highlighted recommendations below. Many of the federal clean water funding
initiatives require action by the State and local communities, so I encourage you to act swiftly
this session on the many initiatives that will improve the water quality of Tampa Bay and
boost our economy.
The IIJA provides robust new resources to modernize local water and wastewater
infrastructure, keep costs down for homeowners and address costly extreme events fueled by the
climate crisis. The IIJA permanently requires states to distribute a minimum of 10 percent (and a
maximum of 30 percent) of their State Revolving funds to municipalities as grants to increase the
affordability of wastewater infrastructure to local communities. The Act also prioritizes
investments in green infrastructure as well as water- and energy-efficiency to increase the
resiliency of utilities to climate change and address vulnerabilities to man-made or natural disasters
and cyberattacks. Importantly, the Act protects local water quality and public health by investing
in the repair and replacement of failing septic systems, including communities that currently lack
access to adequate sewage treatment systems. An additional focus is needed for failing and poorly
maintained private lateral pipes within older communities, which can overwhelm the public sewer
systems. Public utilities need support to remove any barriers they might face in addressing leaky
pipes on private homeowner properties. I urge you to expedite these resources to local
communities.
Federal Covid19 emergency aid is boosting the State of Florida's ability to address
important needs, including a closeout (once and for all) of the abandoned Piney Point gypsum
stack. The devastating breach should have never been repeated after the first toxic overflow in
2003. I am sure you agree with the need to eliminate the hazard that Piney Point presents, and that
you share my belief that it is unfortunate that the taxpayers are on the hook for the cost of the
disaster. Proceeds from any lawsuits against HRK Holdings should reimburse Florida taxpayers.
The State has an obligation to oversee the reclamation of gypsum stacks along Tampa Bay and
prevent these devastating disasters from ever happening again.
I urge the State to expedite purchase and conservation of property along Tampa Bay
and throughout the watershed. Florida voters overwhelmingly support land conservation efforts
as demonstrated by support from stakeholders like the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and passage
of Amendment 1 to the Florida Constitution in 2014 that directed the state to conserve "lands
including wetlands and forests; fish and wildlife habitat; lands protecting water resources and
drinking water sources, … and the water quality of rivers, lakes, and streams; beaches and shores;
outdoor recreational lands; … for 20 years." Unfortunately, the State has not lived up to its
responsibility to Floridians, and has even diverted monies away from these critical conservation
efforts. Please act before it is too late to purchase and conserve these vital areas. They are "costsavers" in the long run for taxpayers.
The State's Blue Green Algae Task Force offered important recommendations in 2019
that should be implemented by the State as soon as possible to address the primary drivers of
algal blooms and degradation of aquatic ecosystems, which can exacerbate inflow and infiltration
issues that cause sanitary sewer overflows.
You know how fragile the health of Upper Tampa Bay and its surrounding communities
of , Town n' Country, Oldsmar, Safety Harbor are, and that they can be overlooked, but the state
and agencies like the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and Florida Department
of Transportation must do more to improve the water quality in this area. For example,
current initiatives along the Howard Frankland and Gandy Blvd bridges, still fail to consider
alterations as needed infrastructure improvements that would benefit the Tampa Bay ecosystem
and economy. The bridge replacement projects must prioritize better water circulation, the flushing
and protection of the wetlands in the area.
Important partners like the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, the Agency on Bay Management
and cities and counties need support for their efforts to protect our local economy, jobs and the
natural environment that makes living in the Tampa Bay area so special. Don't tie the hands of
local communities that seek to protect Tampa Bay, local neighborhoods and economic interests.
Instead, I urge you to help them improve environmental protection efforts and thereby save
enormous sums of tax dollars that are spent responding to catastrophes.
Together, we can improve the health of Tampa Bay and the entire ecosystem, and ensure
that our local economy remains strong. Thank you for the opportunity to share my
recommendations and for your service to the State of Florida and Tampa Bay.
Sincerely,
Kathy Castor,
U.S. Representative
Fourteenth District, Florida
Cc:
City of Tampa, Mayor Jane Castor
Hillsborough County Commissioners
Hillsborough County Administrator, Bonnie Wise
Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation

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