Rooney holds second water quality roundtable

Congressman Francis Rooney held a second roundtable in four days on Friday to discuss harmful algal blooms and their impacts on Southwest Florida waters, humans and sea life.

This time around, the discussion was open to the public at the Southwest Florida Conservancy in Naples, and included many nonprofits, environmental advocates and community partners engaged in the battle with toxic algae such as was seen last summer.

"We're fortunate to have experts to lead the discussion," said Rooney at the roundtable. "We're trying to get as much shared knowledge as we can."

As each of the 20-person panel went around to share their concerns, the emerging destination for talks came to be, "What can Congressman Rooney do to help?"

"I think it was a good, robust discussion," Rooney said. "A lot of people are still having interchange and exchanging ideas and cards -- and a lot of important issues were put on the table. Pretty (much) ran the gamut -- phosphorus, nitrogen, governmental agencies at the state and federal level. We have a very serious problem here that touches all of us and it requires all aspects of our government, and our citizens, to help solve."