Buchanan to hold red tide roundtable

BRADENTON BEACH, Fla. (WWSB) - U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan will host a roundtable discussion on the recent increased levels of red tide in Southwest Florida on Friday in Bradenton Beach, his office announced Thursday.

Participants will include the executive directors of the Sarasota Bay and Tampa Bay estuary programs, environmentalists and elected officials from Manatee County, Longboat Key and Holmes Beach.

The discussion will focus on the impact of red time on human health, the economy and marine life, as well as potential federal solutions for mitigating harmful algal blooms.

Participants will also discuss pending legislation in Congress, including Buchanan’s legislation, the Protecting Local Communities from Harmful Algal Blooms Act, which amends the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to include algal blooms in the definition of a “major disaster.”

The roundtable will be held March 17, from 11-11:45 a.m. at the Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, 200 Gulf Dr. N. in Bradenton Beach.