Governor Rick Scott is directing an additional $3 million dollars to fight red tide in five of Florida’s most-affected counties. That brings grant funding to fight algae to a total of $9 million.
A Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant program created in July is supporting efforts to remove toxic algae in Southwest Florida. With those funds, $6 million will go toward fighting red tide and another $3 million for blue green algae. The funds will benefit algae removal in Collier, Sarasota, Manatee, Lee and Martin Counties.
Scott declared a state of emergency in the face of the current algae crisis in August. The Governor says he is using “every resource available” to help.