Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke Tuesday at noon in Sarasota at a newly opened Mote Marine Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Center on Fruitville Road.
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Department of Environmental Protection Interim Secretary Shawn Hamilton and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Executive Director Eric Sutton also appeared with the governor.
The governor discussed the red tide mitigation efforts the state has undertaken during his administration, including the opening of the research facility.
“A key part of furthering red tide researcher is the need to safely test new mitigation tools and technologies,” DeSantis said. “This facility will use nearly 150,000 gallons of treated and recirculated seawater for safe and controlled testing of mitigation technologies.”
“The Florida Red Tide Mitigation & Technology Development Initiative is a partnership between Mote Marine Laboratory and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that establishes an independent and coordinated effort among public and private research entities to develop prevention, control and mitigation technologies and approaches that will decrease the impacts of Florida red tide on the environment, economy and quality of life in Florida,” according to its website
Dr. Michael Crosby, CEO of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, discussed the mitigation technologies being researched at the facility including robotic vessels that will actually harvest the red tide and convert it into fuel and using UV light on the blooms.
“It’s a cutting edge facility in which we are doing multi-tier testing of mitigation tools and technologies,” Crosby said.
Before arriving in Sarasota, DeSantis spoke in Miami Tuesday morning to announce the completion of the Old Tamiami Trail roadbed removal project, which wasn’t scheduled to be done until January.