U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds held a secret water quality summit in Fort Myers, excluding both the press and the public, allowing polluters to meet with government officials in private.
Craig Pittman reports for Florida Phoenix.
In short:
- U.S. Rep. Donalds convened a secret summit on water quality, barring media and the public.
- Attendees included government officials and industry "stakeholders," or polluters, sparking concerns over transparency.
- Some environmental scientists voiced frustration over discussions that ignored climate change and water quality connections.
Key quote:
“The one thing that stood out was a statement from [a developers’ attorney] who quite emphatically stated wetlands are not related to water quality."
Michele Arquette-Palermo of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida
Why this matters:
Water is a public resource. Secretive meetings that exclude the public undermine accountability in decisions that impact water quality, pollution and future development in Florida, areas already under environmental strain.
