# The State of Florida authorizes to contaminate Tampa Bay waters



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Here we go again!!!

If you've read some of my previous post about Red Tide here in Florida with some of the blame going to the State or Florida authorizing waters to be drained down in Lake Okeechobee, as well as the authorization of a defunked Phosphate gypsum stack (phosphate mining by-product that is unusable, so it's stack up in mountains with lakes on the top) being drained off in preparation for the hurricane season. Whereas the draining of such Gyp stack lakes avoids the lakes to overflow with too much storm water and causing a break in it's own levy and therefore causing all of the water to drain out of the lake (yes it's happened before). But their only solution at this point is draining it into Tampa Bay and having it slosh around in the bay with traces of sulfuric acid (thereby killing fish), as well as the added phosphates that energizes and causes massive red tide algae blooms that will trump the massive red tide we had several years ago. They figure that the tide will just haul it out to see. But the phosphates settle to the bottom of the bay and the incoming tides just brings it right back in and spreads it all over. This is getting ridiculous! Who makes this decissions and how do they have the power to do so? Some one has got to step up to these Florida's law makers, stop them in their tracks and educate them how serious of an environmental issue this will cause!. And where is CCA during crunch time, aside from banquets??











400 million gallons of contaminated Piney Point water could be released into Tampa Bay


State officials authorized the release of more than 400 million gallons of contaminated water from the Piney Point reservoirs, just months after site operators warned that the ponds were reaching maximum capacity.




amp.bradenton.com


----------



## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

Tampa Bay is one of the bright spots and this is going to hit a very healthy part of the Bay.


----------



## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

Developers and business run Florida. Weather it is mosaic or other phosphate companies, sugar down south, nestle draining springs to bottle water it is frustrating and occurs in most states. The common person just thinks red tide is a nuisance and avoid whatever beach it effects during the bloom. The average Joe sees a pretty body of water, they don't see the loss of habitat and marine life that results. I'm not sure how to educate the non anglers and get then involved. I have tons of friends in Florida from living there from 2nd grade through college, most of them are totally ignorant of what we as anglers are aware of!


----------



## mavdog32 (Apr 5, 2019)

Sad, this is one of the best recovering fisheries in the state. Wish I had a big stick


----------



## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

sue them..file a complaint w/ the federal epa...injunction time


----------



## windblows (May 21, 2014)

It's getting so tough to watch my home state get wrecked every day in one way or the other. I think our current 21 million residents is enough. Please stop the madness


----------



## RennieRae (Aug 4, 2018)

Does anyone have any recollection of the affects of these prior releases? "_Spills have happened at Piney Point before. In 2001, Tropical Storm Gabrielle forced FDEP to release 10 million gallons of water into Bishop Harbor. FDEP ordered another release 10 years later after discovering a breached pond liner, sending 170 million gallons of water into the bay_." 

I don't seem to remember any affects in particular but know that the seagrass in BH is healthier now than I can ever remember and I have been fishing that area since about 1990.


----------



## RennieRae (Aug 4, 2018)

Piney Point Creek enters the south shore of TB between Port Manatee and Cockroach Bay as shown below. The release in 2001 and 2011 must have been through Hells Half Acre at the north end of Bishop's Harbor. I would think a release there would be much worse than Piney Point Creek (although both are bad).


----------



## finbully (Jan 26, 2013)

Mother Nature will pay us (humans) back someday.


----------



## Reelscreamer (Dec 28, 2016)

I just watched seaspriacy on netflix last night. Once again proving that everything is about money. It's amazing how these corporations that are supposed to be protecting our water and wildlife actually have zero clue what they are talking about and doing nothing. Humans are the worst thing for this planet and will always be.


----------



## CaptDanS (Oct 26, 2017)

Is Captains for Clean Water involved.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)




----------



## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Ted they issued an emergency evacuation on the outdoor channel. I was watching Seahunter and the ERS went across. Not good.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Scroll down the page on this link where we had the same red tide outbreak several years ago and "they" conveniently timed the release to corrispond with red tide situation during that time so people would just blame it on the "Red Tide." But in fact it enhanced the red tide situation to be one of the worst the greater Tampa Bay, bradenton and Sarasota area has seen in decades. The other times is where they just shipped it and dump it 10 miles offshore thinking the tides would carry it out to sea. But in fact, the tides also washed it into Tampa Bay and the surrounding areas to also see an exaggerated red tide bloom, that was not normal in years past.

Scroll down to see the pics I posted of the Port Manatee/Piney Port phosphate gyp stack water situation and you will see where the pipe was laid to pump out the contaminated water.









Red Tide and algae blooms in SW Florida


This has got to be one of the worst red tides I remember. My father in law sent this from Longboat yesterday. Dead fish everywhere and the beaches are almost deserted. Very sad.




www.microskiff.com


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Backwater said:


>


How about posting some of the email addresses of the Gov. officials so we can do an email blast.


----------



## WC53 (Dec 2, 2015)

Oh good, I so longed for TB 1970 water quality. Feeling a bit nostalgic .


----------



## fishwhistle (May 26, 2020)

I'm probably in over my head but, if you want it done right you have to do it yourself. Per my girlfriend who works at FDEP in ground water "FDEP is powerless, and this a legally regulated action". In order to have a chance to have your voice heard and have a shot at change we have to write our congressmen. A shot gun approach to state and federal levels seems to me to be the best approach. 

That said, please view this link: Effective Communication with a Legislator - The Florida Senate

*Florida State Legislature Contacts:*

Jim Boyd, Manatee County Senator - [email protected]

Will Robinson, State Representative For Greater Tampa Bay Area - <[email protected]>
Michele Rayner, State Representative For Greater Tampa Bay Area - <[email protected]>
Tommy Gregory, State Representative For Greater Tampa Bay Area - <[email protected]>
Fiona McFarland, State Representative For Greater Tampa Bay Area - <[email protected]>
Jame Buchanan, State Representative For Greater Tampa Bay Area - <[email protected]>

*Florida Federal Legislature Contacts:*

Marco Rubio, FL State Senator - (no publicly published email I can find in short order): Contact Info - U.S. Senator for Florida, Marco Rubio

Rick Scott, FL State Senator - (again no publicly published email I can find in short order):





Contact Rick | SENATOR RICK SCOTT







www.rickscott.senate.gov





Vern Buchanan, US Representative 16th District of FL - (no publicly published email) ONLY 16th District of Florida residents can contact him!




__





Email Me


Fill out this online form to send me an email.




buchanan.house.gov







Complaining on FB and a small boat forum are fine, but beyond spreading awareness it really serves no purpose. We as anglers spend countless hours maintaining a boat, trailer, rods, leaders, flies, and other gear in the pursuit of the fish across Florida. What's an hour sending out emails to protect them?

Can someone with more a more legal and politically correct background, create and share a message that can properly communicate a fisherman's (or anyone who enjoys the water) stance on this terrible disrespect to our environment?


----------



## Mark H (Nov 22, 2016)

Reelscreamer said:


> Humans are the worst thing for this planet and will always be.


If you truly believe that, what would be the logical move taking your belief to its logical conclusion?


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

[email protected]


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Ok, I was just out there because I got an area alert from the Emergency Management Service on my cell phone that said...*"Imminent Extreme Alert - Evacuate NOW! Evacuate due to imminent release from Piney Point Stack." *This was the exact message. So since I live about 10mins from Piney Point, I drove on down there to see if they were pumping the contaminated water into Tampa Bay. On my route northward, I came up to a road block with 4 Sheriff's vehicles. Stop and asked what the problem was and they said they we not letting people go through from Moccocin Wallow rd in Palmetto, northbound on St Rd 41 Tamiami Trail and southbound from College Rd in Ruskin south on 41. They also said they were pumping that water into the bay. So I went another direct to 41 and also got blocked and several news network reporter were there trying to see what the real story was. What everyone is being told is they had a break in the levy retaining wall and they needed to drain down the lake on top of the defunct gypsum stack at Port Manatee, located on Piney Point Rd. and so that was the reason they "needed to drain it down fast.

This however is a *big lie*!!! The reason they are draining it is to drain down the lake levels in preparation that there may or may not me a bigger hurricane season than the last 2 years in the area and if the lake overfills with storm water, then it could really break and turn it to even a greater disaster than the slow release of this toxic water over time. So they are trying to mitigate the imminent thread. and what they are also not saying is, by doing it this way, it will save millions of dollars and so this is a cheaper solution. But in fact, it is no solution to the problem at all. And yes, they have no solution and just are trying to take the easy way out. Yet, they are wasting trillions on other unnecessary thing just in the stimulus bill that sends trillions to foreign countries and disregards the massive issues going on in our country right now and in our local community, right now!!

Sulphur Acid, mixed in a slurry of liquid concentrated phosphate fertilizer that is being released right now at this hour to the tune of 20 million gallons each night until it's all drained down. New forecasted numbers are up to 800 million gallons and could go as high as a billion gallons of this concentrated toxic fertilizer, waiting to supercharge red tide algae blooms once the water reaches a constant 80 degrees (and we are getting close to those temps already).

I was told that there was an emergency stay on the release of the discharge, but I had 4 sources tell me that they overturned the stay and proceeded to start the pumping.

Exactly like what they were doing in 2019 when we had that massive red tide just after they pumped the same gypsum stack, below is the layout of what is going on. This was the layout that you could clearly see on Piney Point Rd. You will see the 3ft diameter pipe running from the gypsum stack, running along Piney Point road , out to Port Manatee ship channel, that leads into the main ship channel ditch that runs the center of Tampa Bay. I downloaded these satellite images in real time, from a different source than Google, then marked the points of interest. 

Click on the pictures to expand the images.


----------



## Stiflr (Mar 5, 2021)

[email protected]

Email sent.

If other solutions exist and have been executed successfully in the past, I need to be convinced that money isn’t the reason they’re being ignored.

Future Florida voter


----------



## georgiadrifter (Jan 14, 2009)

Residents evacuated, US-41 closed, state of emergency declared as water continues flowing from Piney Point


Hundreds of residents around Piney Point have been asked to evacuate as 2-3 million gallons of water per day flow from a leak in a containment wall. Officials say the stack collapsed further despite overnight efforts from state and local crews.




www.google.com


----------



## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Feel free to copy and paste my letter to Governor DeSantis if you like:
*_*
Governor DeSantis, first let me say that I am a big supporter of you and your administration and the job you have done thus far serving the citizens of Florida as our Governor. Thank you. That said, I do want to bring this to your attention. 

Apparently, the state has provided authorization for 400 million gallons of contaminated water from Piney Point phosphate gypsum stack to be released into Tampa Bay. I imagine that you are aware of the wonderful success story we have in the restoration of Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay was designated an “estuary of national significance” by Congress in 1990. The Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP) undertook a longterm effort to reduce the impact from dredging activities and laid the plans for continuing restoration. Seagrass meadows have been restored through water quality improvements; tidal marsh, mangrove forests and oligohaline marsh was restored by surface water improvement. Tampa Bay, like South Florida and many other areas of Florida, is a vital component of the state’s economic well-being. Its beauty attracts millions of boaters, fishermen and tourists each year. Restoration of the Bay allowed us to protect a vital natural resource and safeguard the economic benefits upon which the region depends. Now that is in jepordy. 

Just as water degradation has negatively impacted Florida Bay, the waters of the Everglades, and areas on Florida’s coasts, these discharges from the Piney Point reservoirs could be disastrous for Tampa Bay, threatening to undo all of the progress that has been made towards its restoration. This is a matter of grave ecological and economic matter. PLEASE do all you can to stop these discharges and prevent the devastation. Please direct the FDEP to stop pumping wastewater into the Tampa Bay ecosystem. Finally, I implore you to lend all of your support to ensure success of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fully fund Everglades restoration, including full funding for all authorized CREP projects with the American Jobs Plan.

Thanks so much,


David B. Stoots
Plantation, Florida


David Stoots
[email protected]
954.25X-XXXX
Psalm 18:2
Isaiah 40:28-31

Let's Go Fishing!
<“)}}}*><


----------



## Stiflr (Mar 5, 2021)

DBStoots said:


> Feel free to copy and paste my letter to Governor DeSantis if you like:
> *_*
> Governor DeSantis, first let me say that I am a big supporter of you and your administration and the job you have done thus far serving the citizens of Florida as our Governor. Thank you. That said, I do want to bring this to your attention.
> 
> ...


Thank you for this. I will be passing it along.


----------



## fishwhistle (May 26, 2020)

thanks @DBStoots that's exactly what I was looking for. Your letter cites ongoing programs to preserve the bay and leverages this event to other events across the state. Going to change names and blast to ever contact on my post. I encourage others do the same


----------



## Bonesonthebrain (Jan 2, 2020)

I am saddened by what is happening in Florida, but unfortunately it is happening all across the country with effects locally and hundreds of miles away. 









Editorial: Reaching our limits - Storm Lake Times Pilot


Iowa has 25 million hogs, best we know, producing enough sewage akin to a human population of 125 million. To feed those hogs, we cultivate 92% of the state’s acres to grow corn and soybeans, the most of any state. Along with Illinois, we are contributing the most to the slow death of the Gulf




www.stormlake.com


----------



## plisser (Sep 8, 2020)

Reelscreamer said:


> I just watched seaspriacy on netflix last night. Once again proving that everything is about money. It's amazing how these corporations that are supposed to be protecting our water and wildlife actually have zero clue what they are talking about and doing nothing. Humans are the worst thing for this planet and will always be.


I too recently watched this. Very sad. Too much greed and selfishness are destroying our planet. Hope that things can be somehow turned around into a healthy, positive outcome for all life on this rock. It's the only one we have.


----------



## Imagunkholer (Feb 28, 2021)

RennieRae said:


> Does anyone have any recollection of the affects of these prior releases? "_Spills have happened at Piney Point before. In 2001, Tropical Storm Gabrielle forced FDEP to release 10 million gallons of water into Bishop Harbor. FDEP ordered another release 10 years later after discovering a breached pond liner, sending 170 million gallons of water into the bay_."
> 
> I don't seem to remember any affects in particular but know that the seagrass in BH is healthier now than I can ever remember and I have been fishing that area since about 1990.


----------



## Fishtex (May 10, 2014)

You keep voting for these guys, this is what you will continue to get. This is nothing new, sadly. And it’s going on all over the country.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)




----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Right now, there is a ditch that is currently flowing into Bishops with 2 pipes dumping that phosphate slurry straight into. It's in plain sight at the corner of Buckeye Rd and 41. You can stop there and pull over at that NE corner of the intersection right there and see them clearly. They are not even trying to hide it.


----------



## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Backwater said:


> Right now, there is a ditch that is currently flowing into Bishops with 2 pipes dumping that phosphate slurry straight into. It's in plain sight at the corner of Buckeye Rd and 41. You can stop there and pull over at that NE corner of the intersection right there and see them clearly. They are not even trying to hide it.


I don't know why they would still be draining it. They drained it down and found the holes in the liner and were in the process of repairing it.

Maybe they will empty it and finally be done with it.


----------



## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

So our worst fears appear to be coming true with red tide from this discharge. 

I was out Saturday for the first time in a few weeks in Tampa Bay and could tell there were blooms happening. Tampa Bay Water Keeper has some reports dead fish up to MacDill and I'm sure on Bayshore. The fishing in the Bay is the best it's been for quite a while and it's about to get a serious setback.


----------



## mavdog32 (Apr 5, 2019)

I went out to Terra Ceia last week and everywhere from the little manatee to the skyway was covered in thousands of dead fish. There was also a massive brown out happening, Vis went from crystal clear last month, to less than 6" now. 

Super pissed, but at this point what is there to do but see how it plays out. I havent kept up with how they are going after the company, but I am at a total loss as to how to rectify this.


----------



## RennieRae (Aug 4, 2018)

Thankfully, we have started to get some heavy rain and hopefully the rivers can push enough freshwater out to keep the impact minimal. It certainly is a very sad situation.


----------



## krash (Jan 9, 2007)

A friend was out a couple weeks back and said he saw thousands of dead fish, but they were all grunts. He also said he had a good day on Snook though.


----------



## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Been here in Tampa since 1982. This is one Is bad.


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Prolife and 2nd amendment and the border wall are way more important than any dam little algae bloom


----------



## Stiflr (Mar 5, 2021)

The RT bloom’s made it’s way south of the Skyway finally, Terra Ceia Bay’s littered with dead fish.


----------



## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

There’s red tide either side of MacDill, it’s that far into the bay.


----------



## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

Stiflr said:


> The RT bloom’s made it’s way south of the Skyway finally, Terra Ceia Bay’s littered with dead fish.


Son of a bitch


----------



## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)




----------



## jboriol (Jan 2, 2010)

I was out in the bay yesterday from north of Ana Maria past Egmont up to De Soto and to St. Pete Beach. There were dead fish everywhere from Egmont north. I tried to take a friend and his son fishing and it was devastating at every spot. It’s heart breaking to see this.


----------



## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)

What company is this from?


----------



## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Whoever now owns Piney Points piece of shit phosphate pool.


----------



## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

trekker said:


> What company is this from?


I believe the original company went bankrupt....


----------



## Marker10 (Oct 29, 2017)

HRK Holdings took over the land in 2006 after it changed hands multiple times. In 1966, Piney Point was opened and operated by Borden Chemical. It changed again the ‘80s and was eventually sold to Royster in 1988, who declared bankruptcy and it was sold to Mulberry Phosphate. Hell’s Half Acre became a reality and flooded Bishop’s Harbor in 1993, and it became a game of kick the can ever since. The property fell into state custody for a time before it was bought by HRK Holdings. In 2011 the stacks breached and the powers that be decided to transport nitrogen rich water and dump it 80 or so miles off shore. 

Sadly, I counted six dead Goliaths between Egmont and the Skyway last Monday. It’s going to be a summer of off shore fishing and a decade of recovery. Heard on the news today that two shrimp boats were hired to clean out the ICW in Pinellas and old Tampa Bay leading to Port Tampa. Can’t have a boat parade showing tons of dead fish floating belly up while the Stanley Cup is aboard.

The “good news” is less dead fish have been collected since the 2018 Red Tide event which hit the beaches harder than the Bay, but we are just now hitting 90 degree water temps.


----------



## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Yep have several friends living at Apollo Beach and my brother in law at Harbor Island. It’s nasty. I guess fish the rivers and trailer to a lake. Completely disgusted over this mess.


----------



## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)

Marker10 said:


> HRK Holdings took over the land in 2006 after it changed hands multiple times. In 1966, Piney Point was opened and operated by Borden Chemical. It changed again the ‘80s and was eventually sold to Royster in 1988, who declared bankruptcy and it was sold to Mulberry Phosphate. Hell’s Half Acre became a reality and flooded Bishop’s Harbor in 1993, and it became a game of kick the can ever since. The property fell into state custody for a time before it was bought by HRK Holdings. In 2011 the stacks breached and the powers that be decided to transport nitrogen rich water and dump it 80 or so miles off shore.
> 
> Sadly, I counted six dead Goliaths between Egmont and the Skyway last Monday. It’s going to be a summer of off shore fishing and a decade of recovery. Heard on the news today that two shrimp boats were hired to clean out the ICW in Pinellas and old Tampa Bay leading to Port Tampa. Can’t have a boat parade showing tons of dead fish floating belly up while the Stanley Cup is aboard.
> 
> The “good news” is less dead fish have been collected since the 2018 Red Tide event which hit the beaches harder than the Bay, but we are just now hitting 90 degree water temps.


Ah, the ol private profit, public risk trick.

Fool me once..........


----------



## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

finbully said:


> Mother Nature will pay us (humans) back someday.


I think that she already is!☹


----------



## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

Jason M said:


> I believe the original company went bankrupt....


Of course they did! Typical ploy! Just look at mining companies’ track record, promise safe operations, rape/pillage, pollute, file bankruptcy, re-emerge as a new company, tax payers get stuck with the bill paying for another superfund site!


----------

