​Financing ​Solutions to ​Harmful Algal ​Blooms

U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, a Palm City Republican, announced he will introduce legislation to establish a competition — with prize money — for developing innovative, environmentally safe ways to combat harmful algal blooms.

Algae Bloom, source: Wikimedia Commons, By John Moran

A common roadblock to cleaning up blooms, Mast said in a prepared statement, is "scaling technology to the size needed to clean huge bodies of water. This new program would go a long way toward improving the type of technology that cleans algae out of fish tanks to be able to keep our rivers clean.”

Called the Harmful Algal Blooms Solutions Act, the bill calls for the Secretary of Commerce to create a program to recognize and give money to people who come up with ways to:

• remove large masses of algae
• remove algae toxins
• reduce nutrients that fuel algal blooms
• provide real-time bloom-monitoring and early-warning systems

Prize money would come from private donations, according to the bill. A goal for donations to the Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Fund hasn't been set.

The award amounts will depend "on how much money is put into the pot," Mast said.

Noting the high number of water-related businesses along the Treasure Coast, Mast said lots of private businesses and corporations throughout the country will be willing to contribute because they have a similar financial interest in getting rid of algae blooms.

The board would decide the criteria for winning prizes, Stewart said, and could give money to businesses or individuals to help develop a promising product or award a product that's already been produced.

The prize wouldn't pay to actually remove algae; that's something a government agency, such as a county or state, would contract to have done.

Read full article: TC Palm

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Taxonomy

• Ecosystem Management
• Ecosystem Management
• Algae
• Pollution
• Lake Management
• River Restoration
• Algae Treatment