Panel to Study Mercury Threat to Florida Wildlife, Rural Areas

Gov. Bob Martinez signed an executive order Friday setting up a task force to coordinate study of the mercury contamination that is threatening the state’s rural environment.

Elevated levels of the toxic metal have been found in wildlife such as Florida panthers, alligators, largemouth bass and turtles throughout the state, said Forrest Ware, chief of the research bureau of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.

“Mercury contamination could pose a very real, very dangerous threat to public health, and we can’t sit back and just hope for things to get better,” the governor said.

The task force is to report to Martinez by March 1 with a plan to deal with the contamination, including possible solutions.

“Basically, we’re just identifying problems right now. Then we can get to the how and why,” he said.

Health officials have warned people of possible contamination in at least eight rivers across the state, including the St. Johns, Suwannee and Yellow, as well as Lakes Kissimmee and Tohopekaliga.

In the Everglades, mercury was blamed for the death of a 4-year-old Florida panther earlier this year.

“We haven’t even looked at the birds yet or the marine life,” Ware said. “This has to be investigated.”