💥 Florida Resident Exposes $700K Chemical Boondoggle in State Lake Management Program

By Staff Writer | Edgewater Gazette

DAYTONA BEACH, FL — In a stunning exposé that’s rattling Florida’s environmental management circles, local resident Jim Watt has uncovered what he describes as “a half-million-dollar discrepancy and a cascade of federal violations” in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Invasive Plant Management (IPM) program.

Watt, a longtime advocate for ecological transparency, spent weeks battling for access to public records. What he received, after persistent pressure, paints a troubling picture of inflated chemical costs, misrepresented contractor reimbursements, and the misuse of federally regulated herbicides in flowing water systems.

🧪 Federal Label Violations: Penoxsulam in Flowing Waters

At the center of Watt’s findings is Penoxsulam, a potent aquatic herbicide marketed under the brand name Galleon. According to federal EPA labeling, Penoxsulam is approved only for use in quiescent waters—those with little to no outflow. Yet Watt’s analysis shows it was applied in the Kissimmee River system, a dynamic waterway that feeds directly into Lake Okeechobee.

“Penoxsulam remains active in water for over 38 days,” Watt explained. “That means it doesn’t just stay put—it travels. It’s not just treating hydrilla; it’s potentially poisoning ecosystems downstream.”

Watt identified at least 24 separate label violations in one treatment alone, raising alarms about the scale of noncompliance across the state. He argues that the state’s refusal to enforce federal pesticide guidelines leaves Florida’s waterways vulnerable—and its residents misled.

💰 Chemical Costs and Contractor Profits: A $708K Price Tag

The financial breakdown is equally damning. Watt’s review of invoices and pricing sheets reveals:

• FWC paid $2,529.62 per gallon for Penoxsulam.

• Contractor Applied Aquatics charged $3,026.47 per gallon, netting a $496.85 profit per gallon.

• For 137 gallons of Penoxsulam and 3,253.25 gallons of Aquathol K (another herbicide), the total chemical cost reached $611,859.94.

• Including labor and contractor fees, the final invoice ballooned to $708,706.98—a cost of $1,642.25 per acre for a 440-acre treatment.

“This is not just about environmental damage,” Watt said. “It’s about fiscal recklessness. The invoice is off by over half a million dollars. And the public’s being told contractors make nothing on reimbursements. That’s demonstrably false.”

Watt has collected written statements and audio recordings from FWC officials repeatedly claiming that contractors “make zero” on chemical reimbursements—a claim he says is contradicted by the agency’s own invoices.

🛠️ Mechanical Harvesting: A Safer, Cheaper Alternative

To test alternatives, Watt consulted mechanical harvesting contractor Jim Vaughn, who estimated the same job could be done for $500 per acre—a savings of $1142.25 per acre. Unlike chemical treatments, mechanical harvesting removes invasive plants without leaving behind decomposing biomass that fouls water columns, releases excess nutrients, and contributes to the formation of tussocks—floating islands of dead vegetation.

“They never include the long-term ecological costs in their chemical pricing,” Watt said. “Mechanical harvesting avoids sludge buildup and nutrient overload. It’s cleaner, cheaper, and safer.”

🐾 Toxicity and Public Risk

Aquathol K, used in large quantities during the treatment, carries a federal label warning: “Toxic to mammals.” That includes humans, manatees, and other vulnerable species. Watt warns that the state’s continued use of such chemicals in sensitive ecosystems is reckless and potentially dangerous.

“The public deserves to know what’s being dumped into their lakes,” Watt said. “Especially when those chemicals are toxic and misused.”

🚨 A Call for Federal Enforcement

With state regulators unwilling to act, Watt is calling for federal intervention. He argues that the scale of label violations and the systemic misrepresentation of contractor profits warrant oversight from the EPA and other federal agencies.

“This isn’t isolated,” Watt said. “It’s happening across the Kissimmee River chain and beyond. The state refuses to enforce. It’s time to take this federal.”

Watt’s findings have sparked renewed scrutiny of Florida’s aquatic plant management practices, raising urgent questions about transparency, environmental stewardship, and fiscal accountability. As residents and environmental groups rally behind his investigation, the pressure mounts for reform—and for answers.