A bill aims to require Lake Okeechobee water be tested for blue-green algae and the public notified of its presence and possible health risks — before discharges begin.

"Communities deserve to know, especially by their government, if there's something toxic, something hazardous headed in their direction," said U.S. Rep Brian Mast, R-Palm City, who at a news conference in Stuart Monday announced he'll file the bill. "That should be a basic level of good governance, that the government alert them to that."

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Neither Sens. Marco Rubio nor Rick Scott have signed onto the bill, Mast said.

Mast said he expects the backing of Gov. Ron DeSantis and the new South Florida Water Management District board members the governor's appointing.

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Mast, who chaired DeSantis' environmental advisory committee, said he's had "numerous conversations" with the governor about making sure coastal communities don't receive harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges.

"Whenever I'm doing something on this, I'm talking to the governor about it because he's one of the most important partners, if not the most important partner," Mast said. "He has that voice, speaking for the entire state of Florida, when he's talking to the Corps of Engineers, when he's talking to the president of the United States of America, when he's talking to the president's director of the Office of Management and Budget."

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Mast's bill comes after dozens of Treasure Coast residents sought medical treatment after being exposed to a toxin in some algal blooms.

Microcystin, a common blue-green algae toxin, can cause nausea and vomiting if ingested and rash or hay fever symptoms if touched or inhaled. Drinking water with the toxins can cause long-term liver disease.

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