Congressman Mast Wants Army Corps To "Reverse Course" On Lake O Levels

Brian Mast

One foot makes a difference.

That's the word from Republican Congressman Brian Mast, who hopes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reverses course in its expected plan to keep more water in Lake Okeechobee ahead of the rainy season this year.

At his request last year, the Corps released water from the lake during the dry season and had the levels below 11 feet before hurricane season...but that's not the plan in 2020.

"In 2019, if Lake Okeechobee had been at 12 feet, we would have absolutely had discharges moving into Hurricane Dorian approaching our shores."

He's concerned that discharges during the summer months could mean toxic algae getting into Florida's waterways as they have in previous years.

"If the Corps of Engineers does not reverse course and try to move lower, than we absolutely face a greater risk of having toxic discharges."

Mast was asked about the impeachment trial that's underway in the Senate, with 8 Republican members of the House just joining the defense team on Monday.

He says the Democrats aren't going to get what they want, the removal of Trump from office.

"They started in the very beginning with a conclusion that they were going to impeach the president no matter what, and I don't say that as hyperbole. They started at that point and then they went later to try and find the facts to support that."

Mast says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced there would be an impeachment inquiry before she and other Democrats read the transcript of the phone call between President Trump and the Ukrainian president.

Photo: Getty Images


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