ill] 1?le

?nite?! ?tatea ?enate

WASI DC 205 0?0005

August 16, 2018

The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
Majority Leader Minority Leader

Room 8-230, The Capitol Room 8-22], The Capitol
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510

Dear Leaders McConnell and Schumer:

We write to ask that you bring the America?s Water Infrastructure Act, also referred as
the 2018 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), for a vote in the Senate as soon as
possible. Communities in South Florida are under siege by massive algal blooms spreading from
Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers. The Senate bill includes an
important project, the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Storage Reservoir, which would help
to mitigate future environmental and human health impacts of lake discharges.

Currently, the bill awaits full Senate consideration while Floridians are enduring an
enviromnental and economic crisis caused by these pervasive, toxic algae blooms. We have a
responsibility to our constituents to pass this legislation as quickly as possible.

The BAA Storage Reservoir is a critical piece of the puzzle for ending Lake Okeechobee
discharges and the harmful algal blooms they help fuel. We urge you to bring the WRDA bill to
the Senate ?oor as soon as possible so that we can advance this key project. Thank you for your

consideration of this time?sensitive request.

Sincerely,

'Nvlam/ 

US. Senator Bill Nelson US. Senator Marco Rubio