This water quality website is dedicated to providing important information about our region's environmental health and critical water quality issues that need to be monitored and addressed.

One continuing issue is the plan for releases from Lake Okechobee and efforts to minimize releases into the Caloosahatchee River. The agencies responsible for the releases are the South Florida Water Management District and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and many of the special interest groups they listen to are high powered and influential. Thanks to close to three thousand emails sent to the Army Corps, there is now a stronger focus on protecting estuaries than a year ago. Your time and energy has already helped to make a difference. But there is much work still to be done, and the need for continued efforts to protect Southwest Florida waters remains strong.

Please check the Sanibel H2O Matters Home page regularly to view the most current issues and priorities. Whenever possible, citizen support in the form of a letter, email, fax or call to key decision-makers can influence decisions that are vital to the future of our environment and economy. Personal messages are more effective than form letters.

Key contact information is listed below PLEASE ACT NOW! Contact our Elected and Appointed Officials to take actions that will have beneficial short- and long-term benefits to the future of our precious estuaries.

Contact the Governor or Lt. Governor

The Honorable Charlie Crist Email: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com

Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp Email: Jeff.Kottkamp@MyFlorida.com Telephone Numbers: Citizen Services Hotline: (850) 488-4441 Executive Office of the Governor Switchboard: (850) 488-7146 [Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time] Fax: (850) 487-0801 For individuals with hearing loss or speech disability: 1-850-922-7795 (TTY) OR 711 (Florida Telecommunication Relay) Mailing Address: Office of Governor Charlie Crist State of Florida PL-05 The Capitol Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001 Delivery Address: Office of Governor Charlie Crist State of Florida The Capitol 400 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001

U.S. Senator Mel Martinez SW Regional Office Regional Director: Dick Keen 3301 Tamiami Trail East Building F, Suite 223 Naples, Floirda 34112 (239) 774-3367

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson Fort Myers Office Regional Director Diana McGee Justice Center Annex Building 2000 Main Street, Suite 801 Fort Myers, Florida 33901 Phone: (239) 334-7760

Congressman Connie Mack Cape Coral Office 804 Nicholas Parkway East, Suite 1 Cape Coral, Florida 33990 Main Phone: (239) 573-5837 Fax: (239) 573-5837

Congressman Tim Mahoney 16th District Charlotte County office 18500 Murdock Circle, Ste 536 Port Charlotte, FL 33948 Phone: 941-627-9100 Fax: 941-627-9101 Capital office 1541 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: 202-225-5792 Fax: 202-225-3132 Website: mahoney.house.gov

Senator Burt Saunders Cape Coral Office: Legislative Aide: Randi Rosete 1039 SE 9th Place, Suite 310 Cape Coral, Florida 33990-3095 Phone: (239) 338-2777 Fax: (239) 338-2779

Representative Paige Kreegel Punta Gorda Office: 410 Taylor Street Punta Gorda, Floria 33950-4832 Phone: (941) 575-5820

Representative Gary Aubuchon Cape Coral Office: Legislative Aide: Paige Biagi 3501 Del Prado Boulevard, Suite 305 Cape Coral, Florida 33904-7223 Phone: (239) 344-4900

Representative Trudi Williams Fort Myers Office: Legislative Aide: Sheri Altstatt-Davie 12811 Kenwood Lane, Suite 212 Fort Myers, Florida 33907-5648 Phone: (239) 433-6775

Representative Nicholas "Nick" R. Thompson Fort Myers Office: Legislative Aide: Katie Dickerson 2120 Main Street, Suite 208 Fort Myers, Florida 33901-3010 Phone: (941) 533-2411

Senator Dave Aronberg, District 27 2120 Main St., Suite 206 Fort Myers, FL 33901 Phone: 239-338-2646 Capital office: Room 405 Senate office building 404 South Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100 Phone: 850-487-5356 Email: aronberg.dave.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Mike Bennett, District 21 Room 216 Senate office building 404 South Monroe St. Tallahassee, Fl 32399-1100 Phone: 850-487-5078 Email: bennett.mike.web@flsenate.gov

South Florida Water Management District Lower West Coast Director Phil Flood, Jr. 2301 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers, Florida 33901 Phone: (239) 464-7022 Fax: (239) 338-2936 Email: pflood@sfwmd.gov

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Secretary Michael W. Sole 3900 Commonwealth Blvd. MS 10 Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000 Phone: 850-245-2011 Email: michael.sole@dep.state.fl.us

South District Director Jon Iglehart 2295 Victoria Ave., Suite 364 P.O. Box 2549 Fort Myers, Florida 33902-2549 Telephone: (239) 332-6975 Email: Jon.Iglehart@dep.state.fl.us

South Florida Water Management District Governing Board

The Governing Board of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is composed of nine members who reside within the 16-county region of southern and central Florida. Members are appointed by the Governor, and subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. The term of office is four years.

Chairman Eric Buermann SFWMD Governing Board Area: Miami-Dade County Current Term: April 2007 to March 2011 Contact Address: Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P. Suite 4000 Wachovia Financial Center 200 South Biscayne Boulevardv Miami, Florida 33131-2398 Contact Phone: (305) 577-7000

Nicolas J. Gutierrez, Esq. Vice-Chair, SFWMD Governing Board Area: Miami-Dade County Current Term: March 2004 to February 2008 [Chairman: 2002-3/2005] Contact Address: Borgognoni, Gutiérrez and Arza, L.L.P. 2665 South Bayshore Drive, Suite 701 Miami, FL 33133-5402 Contact Phone: (305) 860-2060 FAX: (305) 860-2068

Michael Collins Member, SFWMD Governing Board Area: At-large member for an area which includes St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties Originally Appointed: March 1999 Current Term: March 2006 to March 2010 Contact Address: Mailing: P.O. Box 803 Islamorada, FL 33036 Contact Phone: (561) 236-5304 FAX: (305) 852-5428 Email: mcollins@sfwmd.gov

Charles J. Dauray Member, SFWMD Governing Board Area: Lee, Collier, Hendry and Charlotte counties Big Cypress Basin Board - Chairman, Ex Officio Big Cypress Basin Current Term: April 2007 to March 2011 Contact Address: SFWMD Governing Board, 1162 P.O. Box 24680 West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680 Contact Phone: (239) 992-2184 FAX: (239) 495-0201

Shannon Estenoz Member, SFWMD Governing Board Area: Broward County Current Term: April 2007 to March 2010 SFWMD Governing Board, 1162 P.O. Box 24680 West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680 Contact Phone: (954) 205-1132 FAX: (561) 682-5029 Email: sestenoz@sfwmd.gov

Melissa L. Meeker Member, SFWMD Governing Board Area: At-large member for an area which includes St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties Current Term: June 2007 to March 2009 Contact Address: SFWMD Governing Board, 1162 P.O. Box 24680 West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680 Contact Phone: (772) 323-6468 FAX: (561) 682-5029 Email: mmeeker@sfwmd.gov

Patrick J. Rooney Member, SFWMD Governing Board Area: Palm Beach County Current Term: June 2007 to March 2011 Contact Address: SFWMD Governing Board, 1162 P.O. Box 24680 West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680 Contact Phone: (561) 714-3065 FAX: (561) 682-5029 Email: prooney@sfwmd.gov

Harkley R Thornton Member, SFWMD Governing Board Area: Glades, Highlands, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola and Polk Counties Current Term: March 2004 to February 2008 Contact Address: Outlook Media Inc. 2295 South Hiawassee Road, Suite 203 Orlando, FL 32835 Contact Phone: (407) 363-1212 FAX: (407) 363-1747

Malcolm S. Wade, Jr. Member, SFWMD Governing Board Area: Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, Osceola and Okeechobee counties Current Term: March 2005 to March 2009 Contact Address: Malcolm S. Wade, Jr. 209 Ridgewood Avenue Clewiston, FL 33440 Contact Phone: (863) 227-0970 FAX: (863) 983-4804 Email: mawade@sfwmd.gov

Carol Wehle, Executive Director P.O. Box 24680 West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680 Phone: 800-432-2045 Email: executivedirector@sfwmd.gov

U.S. Army Corp of Engineers

Colonel Paul Grosskruger 701 San Marco Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32207-8175 Phone: 904-232-2234 or 1-800-291-9405 Email: paul.l.grosskruger@saj02.usace.army.mil

Asst. Secretary of the Army John Paul Woodley Fax: 703-697-7401 Email: Kathleen.mcglynn@hqda.army.mil

Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen Robert Van Antwerp Fax: 202-761-1683 Email: Robert.l.vanantwerp.ltg@usace.army.mil

Commander, South Atlantic Division Brig. Gen. Joseph Schroedel Fax: 404-562-5002 Email: joseph.schroedel.bg@usace.army.mil

Lee County commissioners PO Box 398 Fort Myers, FL 33902 Fax: 239-485-2092

Bob Janes, District 1 Email: Dist1leegov.com Phone: 239-533-2224

Brian Bigelow, District 2 Email: Dist2@leegov.com Phone: 239-533-2227

Ray Judah, District 3 Email: Dist3@leegov.com Phone: 239-533-2223

Tammy Hall, District 4 Email: Dist4@leegov.com Phone: 239-533-2226

Frank Mann, District 5 Email: Dist5@leegov.com Phone: 239-533-2225

Florida Department of Community Affairs

Secretary Thomas G. Pelham 2555 Shumard Oak Blvd. Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100 Phone: 850-488-8466 Fax: 850-921-0781 Email: tom.pelham@dca.state.fl.us

Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council 1926 Victoria Ave. Fort Myers, FL 33901 Phone: 239-338-2550 Website: www.swfrpc.org

Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization Transporation planning 1926 Victoria Ave. Fort Myers, Fl 33901 Phone: 239-338-2550 ext. 238 Fax: 239-338-2560 Email: mpo@swfrpc.org or Dscott@swfrpc.org If you have time to contact just 2-3 groups, the City recommends that you contact Congressman Connie Mack and representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

This website is just one component of our water quality education effort. If you would like to receive City of Sanibel updates regarding water quality and other important City issues, please click here.