To the editor:

Thank you, Charlotte Newton, for an excellent guest editorial! I can’t think of a more important yet more complex issue facing Pine Island, Sanibel, Captiva, Cape Coral and Fort Myers than restoring our water quality here in Southwest Florida. Kevin Ruane was a clean water advocate as mayor of Sanibel and we expect he will do so as well as Lee County Commissioner. However, both Brian Hamman and Cecil Pendergrass have been silent over the years on clean water presumably due the campaign donations from developers. They need to become active on this issue or be replaced by clean water advocates since water quality is critical to human health, marine health and our economy in Southwest Florida.

One way that we can all support water quality is to sign a petition for the Right to Clean Water constitutional amendment for Florida. This constitutional amendment initiative is required since the Florida Legislature recently made it very difficult for local citizen petition campaigns.

Lastly, talk to your Florida State Representatives and Senators ask them to support Clean Water initiatives!

Mike Downing

St. James City