JUPITER. - U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) joined President Donald Trump on his visit to Jupiter on Sept. 8 to discuss water quality issues and initiatives in the Everglades and across the State.

“Water is the lifeblood of Florida. From our springs and beaches to the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee, water quality is a top issue for Florida’s economic and environmental interests,” Steube said.

Steube has championed water quality issues both in the Florida Legislature and in Congress.

Earlier this year, Steube secured a victory for Florida water when his mechanical harvesting language was included in this year’s appropriations package. This language would provide a safe alternative to the herbicide chemicals currently being sprayed to control invasive species in Lake Okeechobee. This year, he also worked with Members of the Florida Delegation to support legislation which would develop innovative ways to remove harmful microplastics from the environment.

In addition to convening water quality roundtables with Florida’s water quality experts, Steube has also toured water management projects around Lake Okeechobee, including the Kissimmee River Restoration Project, the Boma Water Quality Treatment and Testing Facility, the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project, the Caloosahatchee River West Basin Storage Reservoir, and the Herbert Hoover Dike Rehabilitation Project.

Among these other initiatives, Steube also cosponsored legislation to permanently extend the offshore drilling moratorium off the Gulf Coast. On Sept. 8, President Trump signed a 10-year moratorium on offshore drilling off Florida’s Gulf Coast and expanding to Florida’s Atlantic Coast, as well as the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina.