Last week. U.S Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla. received a virtual briefing from Sarasota County leadership regarding the status and steps needed to reopen Midnight Pass in Sarasota County.
Local leaders who participated in the briefing include Spencer Anderson, the county’s public works director and Rob Lewis, the county’s director of government relations.
“Reopening Midnight Pass would bring a series of positive improvements to Little Sarasota Bay – from both a water quality standpoint and a healthier environment for wildlife, homeowners on the bay, and visitors,” said Steube. “My office stands ready to assist our local leadership in jumpstarting a critical project that will make a real difference in Sarasota County. We are prepared to be a partner at the federal level as we navigate the many federal and state agencies involved in the unique nature of opening an inlet and restoring the bay to a marine system.”
According to the Midnight Pass Society II, a local nonprofit: “Opening the Pass would revitalize the sea grasses, permitting new fish varieties and birds in the immediate vicinity, and restore the crystal blue of the Gulf waters. The new hydrology would improve water circulation, reduce pollution, and increase the viable breeding areas for shrimp, clam, and oysters, all of which are now gone due to the stagnation of the waterways.”
Steube’s office expects further meetings with constituents, state and local government officials, stakeholders, and organizations involved in the effort to reopen Midnight Pass.
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