In 2021, when Piney Point dumped over 215 million gallons of nutrient-heavy industrial wastewater into Tampa Bay, it wasn’t a minor blunder; it was a full-blown environmental crisis. Officials released this water to prevent a much bigger disaster: a massive dike collapse that could have flooded nearby communities. But that choice carried a distinct risk. The wastewater, loaded with nitrogen and phosphorus, matched a year’s typical nutrient pollution in just ten days. The flood severely affected nearby communities.

Red tide, driven by Karenia brevis, exploded that summer. These toxic blooms stretched all the way down Florida’s southwest coast, much bigger and longer-lasting than usual. Fish floated up dead by the hundreds of tons: over 600 tons of marine life perished. Dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles suffered as well. The polluted water didn’t just linger in one spot, either; studies found nutrient plumes traveled through Tampa Bay and even reached as far north as Tarpon Springs.

That flood of nutrients did lasting damage. Water quality plummeted. Seagrass beds and mangroves, both essential for marine habitats, took a hit after years of careful restoration work. In effect, an entire decade of progress disappeared almost overnight.

The state’s environmental agency insisted the water wasn’t radioactive. Although technically accurate, the water remained dangerously contaminated. In the end, emergency officials faced an impossible choice: either release the polluted water into Tampa Bay, or risk a catastrophic collapse and widespread flooding. The decision came with heavy consequences for the Gulf ecosystem.

Afterward, a federal judge held the plant operator, HRK Holdings, responsible and ordered Piney Point shut down for good.

Enter Herb Donica, a Tampa attorney and CPA. In August 2021, the court appointed him as the independent receiver, putting him in charge of cleaning up the mess. Donica’s job: manage water disposal, oversee site cleanup, and close the hazardous phosphogypsum stacks once and for all.

He set clear priorities. First, his team removed over 600 million gallons of water, pumping it deep underground, about 3,300 feet below the aquifer. As Donica points out, there’s no pond water left at the site. Next, they began sealing off what remained, layering liners, sand, soil, and grass over the stacks to lock away any lingering hazards.

Donica has a straightforward mission: stop anything like Piney Point 2021 from ever happening again. “All the water here is captured and managed,” he says. “We will no longer have the problem we saw in April 2021.”

His target? Finish the work by the end of this year. If all goes to plan, Piney Point and its notorious history will finally close for good.

The post The Dark Legacy of Piney Point: Florida’s Hazardous Waste Crisis to Close for Good? appeared first on Englewood Review.

In the middle of all this, Captains for Clean Water (CFCW) is stepping up. People want straight answers, and more than that, they want to be heard. That’s where Captains for Clean Water comes in, giving regular folks a seat at the table.

“We started out small, just a bunch of folks passionate about restoring the Everglades,” says Alycia Downs, Director of Education & Awareness at Captains for Clean Water. “We’re making solid progress, but now’s not the time to slow down. We have to keep pushing to make sure these projects actually happen — and happen fast.”

Captains for Clean Water isn’t just an ordinary nonprofit. This is a grassroots movement that’s all about protecting Florida’s water. The story goes back to 2016, when two fishing guides, Capt. Daniel Andrews and Capt. Chris Wittman, tired of watching poor water management destroy the estuaries they loved. They believed people would demand change if they just knew what was going on. The fix is out there; it’s just been stalled for years because politicians and the public weren’t paying enough attention. These captains decided to change that.

“In the last five years, we’ve come a long way,” Downs says. “We started by fighting for the Everglades, but once we got the word out and people started paying attention, things moved faster. Policymakers actually listened, and we created a platform where the public could speak up.”

CFCW focuses on three core issues.

First up: Everglades restoration. That’s always been at the heart of the mission. “Restoring the Everglades means sending more water south, making the most of the infrastructure we have, cutting back on harmful coastal discharges, and making sure clean, fresh water gets all the way to the Everglades and Florida Bay,” Downs explains. “And we’re not letting up on that.”

Second: Lake Okeechobee. This one’s a big deal. “Right now, we have a real chance — as citizens, businesses, stakeholders — to shape the Lake Okeechobee Systems Operational Manual, or LOSOM.”

The Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual, or LOSOM, is complete. As of August 2024, it’s the new playbook for managing Lake Okeechobee, taking over from the old LORS08 plan. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed off with its final decision, so it’s official. This wasn’t a quick update; LOSOM took five years to develop. The goal? Get water management right. That means handling flood risks, making sure people and farms have the water they need, keeping recreation in mind, and protecting the environment. A big focus this time: moving more water south, down to the Everglades, where it’s needed most.

Third: nutrient pollution. It’s a massive problem, not just here but everywhere. In Florida, we’re seeing the fallout with the red tide. “The truth is, we need huge public support. People need to speak up and push for state legislation if we’re going to fix nutrient pollution,” Downs says.

Downs feels good about the Army Corps listening to people’s input. “Honestly, we’re optimistic. Colonel Kelly put it best — the Corps has handled the LOSOM process with real transparency and worked side-by-side with stakeholders. They’ve actually asked the public to walk with them every step, and they mean it.”

The public’s been loud. “Our supporters sent over 12,000 emails to the Corps. Colonel Kelly even joked he had to get his IT team to expand his phone’s storage just to handle the feedback. He appreciates it.”

Policy Director Jessica Pinsky puts it plainly: “Captains For Clean Water started back in 2016 because of those massive toxic discharges hitting our coast. Capt. Dan and Captain Chris, our founders, didn’t just hear about the damage — they lived it. It hit their livelihoods and rocked our local economy. From day one in the LOSOM process, we’ve pushed the Corps to give us the best lake management schedule possible, one that doesn’t put other communities at risk. We look out for the people, the fish, the wildlife, and the health of the estuary as a whole. That’s it. That’s our focus.”

“The changes in Florida over the last few years have been incredible. More people are stepping up and getting involved. This used to be just an environmental issue — and don’t get me wrong, that matters — but now it’s about so much more. It’s about our jobs, our health, our businesses. It’s about Florida’s economy, which is really the heart of the state. These days, it’s a topic everyone’s talking about at home, and we’re proud that CFCW helped make that happen.”

Learn more at captainsforcleanwater.org

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