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HR2504FEDERALin_committee
High Impact

Stop Poisoning Florida Act (H.R. 2504)

Original title: Stop Poisoning Florida Act

March 26, 2026

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Where This Stands

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.Apr 7, 2023
Lead sponsor

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

Residents and businesses near the structures will see changes in water management practices, as the Army Corps of Engineers would be legally required to halt discharges when toxic algae levels exceed EPA recreational safety thresholds.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Residents near S-308 and S-80 structures

These residents are subject to changes in water discharge frequency and quality management near their properties.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The agency is required to implement new operational protocols for lock and dam discharges based on water quality testing.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to stop water discharges from Lake Okeechobee through specific lock and dam structures when toxin levels exceed federal safety standards for recreational water. It mandates that the Corps rely on EPA-recommended microcystin concentration limits to determine when these discharges must be prohibited.

Key Facts

  • The bill mandates the Secretary of the Army to prohibit water discharges from Lake Okeechobee through the S-308 and S-80 lock and dam structures.
  • Discharges must be prohibited when water exceeds the maximum microcystin concentration recommended by the EPA for recreational waters.
  • The EPA standard referenced is the 'Recommended Human Health Recreational Ambient Water Quality Criteria or Swimming Advisories for Microcystins and Cylindrospermopsin' (84 Fed. Reg. 26413).
  • The Secretary of the Army is authorized to use water quality test results conducted by the Secretary, other federal agencies, or the State of Florida to determine if the threshold is exceeded.
  • The prohibition applies to the current EPA criteria or any future successor water quality criteria.

Why It Matters

Residents and businesses near the structures will see changes in water management practices, as the Army Corps of Engineers would be legally required to halt discharges when toxic algae levels exceed EPA recreational safety thresholds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What triggers the stop in water discharges?
Discharges must stop when water tests show microcystin levels higher than the EPA's recommended safety limit for recreational swimming.
Who is responsible for testing the water?
The bill allows the Secretary of the Army to use test results from the Army Corps of Engineers, other federal agencies, or the State of Florida.

News Coverage

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Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Mandatory Water Quality Testing

The bill shifts the operational criteria for dam discharges from purely water-level management to include mandatory water-quality-based triggers.

Connected Entities

organizationU.S. Army Corps of EngineersThe federal agency responsible for managing Lake Okeechobee water discharges.Map →
organizationEnvironmental Protection AgencyThe agency that sets the water quality criteria for microcystins.Map →
locationLake OkeechobeeThe body of water subject to the proposed discharge regulations.Map →
personBrian MastU.S. Representative who introduced the bill.Map →

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy60
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment20
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz40
    Current news / social attention level

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