Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s gulf coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with the Florida Farm Bureau as well as local agricultural producers, farmers, and growers to discuss the storm’s impact. Photos are courtesy of...
Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with local officials and volunteers from the barrier islands to discuss the storm’s impact and current recovery efforts. Photos are courtesy of...
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm, causing catastrophic damage along Florida’s Gulf Coast. It’s crucial for the federal government to expedite state-requested resources and authorize key policy flexibilities in order for Floridians to make a swift...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host two in-person events to assist constituents affected by Hurricane Helene and help navigate applications for FEMA assistance. Food, water, and additional resources will be available at the events. Event...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host in-person and virtual Mobile Office Hours next week to assist constituents with federal casework issues in their respective local communities. These office hours offer constituents who do not live close to one of...
Following the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Debby, some local governments in Florida face looming budget shortfalls that could disrupt disaster recovery efforts. If these local governments receive reimbursements for past hurricanes from the Federal Emergency...
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) today urged U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt to expedite federal assistance to local governments and utilities as needed to reduce sewage and wastewater exposure risks across the state in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. They also urged Administrator Pruitt to work with the state to target existing federal programs towards improving Florida’s water systems to reduce damage to these critical systems as a result of future hurricanes.
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear Administrator Pruitt:
We greatly appreciate your agency’s initial efforts to assist the state of Florida in monitoring the status of drinking water and wastewater systems impacted by Hurricane Irma. Unfortunately, multiple reports suggest wastewater systems across the state have been severely overwhelmed by a combination of high rainfall totals, storm surge, localized flooding, and power outages.
In the most extreme and concerning case, several individuals in contact with flood waters in Everglades City have required emergency medical attention to treat life-threatening infections. Sadly, one of these individuals was not able to be saved, and another had his leg amputated. Concerns are mounting in Everglades City and other similarly impacted communities that additional loss of life may occur without more assistance.
We urge you to continue to work with state and municipal governments and local utilities to expedite the provision of any Federal Operations Support, Technical Assistance, and Direct Federal Assistance needed to reduce sewage and untreated wastewater exposure risks to Florida residents who are desperately trying to piece their lives back together. To the extent possible, we also ask that you strongly consider targeting EPA Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and Clean Water State Revolving Fund assistance for the purpose of enhancing the capacity and resilience of drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater systems to weather future disasters.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,