Environmental report: Gulf is 'Florida's Toilet'

[flashl]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- What Floridians already are doing to the Gulf of Mexico is 100 times worse than the risk of pollution from offshore drilling, the leader of an environmental group said Thursday.

Linda Young, director of the Clean Water Network of Florida, said poorly treated sewage being flushed into the Gulf is turning it into "Florida's Toilet."

That's the title of a new report issued by Young's organization. It says the Gulf and associated waters are being fouled in part because sewage treatment facilities have failed to keep up with growth. Weak laws and lax enforcement also share the blame, the report concludes.

It comes amid renewed debate over domestic oil and natural gas exploration after Gov. Charlie Crist dropped his long-standing support for a federal moratorium on offshore drilling.

AP

[Bob Dobbs]

1. Then by all means allow the power elite to profiteer from offshore drilling

and the inconsequential effect that will have on speculation driven gasoline price gouging.

[phantom power]

2. They should think bigger. The Gulf is the toilet for the Mississippi basin too.