Congressman Rooney requests federal aid for Florida algae blooms
In a letter to President Donald Trump, District 19 Representative Francis Rooney is asking for help.
Today, Rooney is requesting that the White House declare a “major disaster declaration” for Lee and Collier Counties because of the environmental crisis.
The letter describes some background of the algae blooms, including referencing freshwater releases from Lake Okeechobee and the lingering red tide bloom causing fish kills in the Gulf.
The state of emergency would unlock funding resources for local governments to remove algae, the letter states, as well as provide relief to businesses being hit by economical damage from the blooms.
Rooney also extended an invitation to Trump to see the crisis firsthand, stating that “your administration has helped more than any previous one;” Trump was in Florida July 30 for a rally.
“Our current conditions are every bit as disastrous to us as the recent wildfires are to California and flooding has been to Michigan,” Rooney said in a press release.