The Shields Painting Difference: Perfection with Every Brush Stroke
Many painting companies in Florida rely on flashy marketing and big promises to try and attract new clients. But when it comes time to work, they fall short of their promises. This is often due to a lack of experience, qualified painters, and a drive to overachieve. At Shields Painting, we do things a little differently than other painting companies in Citrus County. We believe that a professional paint job should be as close to perfect as possible. Our goal is to leave you 100% satisfied, whether we're touching up an old residential paint job or performing a complex commercial project. It might sound simple, but we achieve that goal through honesty, hard work, beautiful results, and reasonable pricing.
As a family-owned and operated painting company in Lake Lindsey, FL, we strive to provide personalized, professional, and friendly service. Shields Painting has been in business since 1968 for a good reason. Whenever possible, we go the extra mile to make sure our customers are happy. Unlike some of our competition, we want to know all about your house or business painting project: your vision, your preferences, your challenges, and your goals. When we understand your needs, we can present you with a fantastic final product - one that you're proud to show off to friends and neighbors.
At Shields Painting, we combine our extensive experience with time-tested, meticulous painting processes, resulting in the highest quality painting results around. As a painting contractor in Citrus County, we can take on a variety of residential, commercial, and industrial projects in Florida.
A few of our most popular painting services include:
- Interior Painting
- Exterior Painting
- Residential Painting
- Commercial Painting
- Cabinet Painting
- Ceiling Painting
- Fence Painting
- Sign Painting
- MUCH More!
Our commercial, industrial, and residential painting contractors take the proper steps to protect your property and belongings while we work. Our team will clean up after ourselves, so your property is left clean and free of debris when we're done. After all, we think there's only one way to do a job, and that's the right way.
Painting Services

Eco-friendly & clean work area.

PDCA Certified Member.

Your Go-To House Painting Company in Lake Lindsey, FL
Your home is a haven of relaxation and solitude. It is uniquely you - a place where you can express who you are through style and design. Whether you need interior touch-ups for your crown molding or a new exterior coat of paint, hiring a reliable painting contractor is the best way to get quality results.
At Shields Painting, we know how important it is to have a home that highlights your tastes and personality. That's why we offer an extensive array of residential painting services in Citrus County. As tempting as it might be to try a DIY paint job, without the proper skills and experience, there is a good chance that the results will turn out less than satisfactory.
High-quality painting requires skill, experience, and patience. If you're a homeowner who needs residential painting services but doesn't have the time, patience, or skills to handle the job, look no further than Shields Painting. We offer accuracy, precision, and longevity with each paint job we perform. Our customers choose Shields Painting for their home because they receive:
- Free Quotes with Detailed Project Breakdowns
- Affordable Pricing
- Expert Painting Contractors
- High-Quality Paint Products
- Combo of Traditional and Modern Techniques
- Well-Maintained Tools
- Unmatched Craftsmanship
- Friendly, Personalized Service
- Good Old-Fashioned Hard Work!
The majority of our house painting services come in two forms: interior and exterior.
Interior Residential Painting
As an interior painting contractor with decades of experience, our expert technicians have developed an interior painting process that maximizes quality and emphasizes customer satisfaction. We understand that interior painting goes beyond aesthetics. It protects your ceilings and walls and helps you sustain a healthier place to live for your family. When only the finest craftsmanship will do inside your home, Shields Painting is here for you.
Our seasoned team of painting experts and craftsmen is dedicated to respecting your space and providing you with the look and feel you're craving inside your home. Whether you bought a new house and want to make it your own or need minor touch-ups but have no time, Shields Painting is ready to tackle the job, no matter how small or large.
Unlike some painting companies, our interior house painters take the time to get the details right, every time. For instance, color is only one aspect of your interior paint job. The paint sheen or finish is just as important. Certain finishes are better for living rooms and bedrooms than in kitchens and bathrooms. We'll help you find the right finish and paint colors for your home, so you don't have to worry about touch-ups or repainting.
Some of our most popular interior house painting services include:
- Ceiling Painting
- Popcorn Ceiling Removal
- Living Room Painting
- Bathroom Painting
- Basement Painting
- Color Consultations
- More

Cabinet Painting
Citrus County cabinet painting deserves its own section on this page because it requires more time, skill, and quality paint than most sections of your home. If your home's cabinets are built into its woodwork, replacing them can be obnoxiously expensive. Compared to the cost of installing new cabinets, painting your kitchen cabinets is much more affordable.
At Shields Painting, we specialize in transforming old cabinets into new, gorgeous features that are just as usable as they are beautiful. Each step of our cabinet painting process is meticulous and thorough. And we'll take care of the entire job, from cleaning, prep, and sanding to priming, painting, and reassembly. This unique service lets you enjoy a brand-new look in your kitchen without having to go into debt by replacing your cabinets.
Whether your cabinets are new, but you want to change their color or you'd like to transition wood cabinets to a painted finish, Shields Painting has the expertise and experience to give you a new look you'll love.

Exterior Residential Painting
Your home - it's a place that not only keeps your belongings safe. It protects your family and loved ones, too. It's one of your largest investments, and like anything else of value, it should be protected. However, Florida weather can take a toll on your home's structure and paint, lowering your home's value and even putting your family at risk.
While it's true that a beautiful exterior affects your house's value, it shouldn't take thousands of remodeling dollars to make a positive change to your home. There's a fine line between reasonable pricing and top-quality painting, and that sweet spot is what Shields Painting aims for. If you want to transform how your friends and neighbors see your home, never underestimate the power of a professional paint job.
Our exterior residential painting services are designed to boost curb appeal, give your home a fresh look, and help it stand up to Florida's unique weather. But we provide more than that. When you hire Shields Painting for your outdoor painting project, you will enjoy peace of mind in knowing that your home is in truly capable hands. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and help bring out the best in your property, whether you need to re-stain your deck or remove old, peeling paint from your siding.
If you're on the hunt for the very best exterior painting contractor in Lake Lindsey, FL, look no further than Shields Painting.
Some of our most popular exterior house painting services include:
- Vinyl Siding Painting
- Deck Painting and Staining
- Stucco Exterior Painting
- Wood Exterior Painting
- Porch Painting and Staining
- Soffit Painting
- Fascia Painting
- Window Painting
- Front Door Painting
- Thorough Painting Prep
- More

The Premier Commercial Painting Company in Lake Lindsey, FL
When it comes to first impressions, your businesses' appearance plays an important role. Your commercial property's paint job factors into its overall aesthetics. A great-looking, well-maintained paint job can mean the difference between a customer walking in your storefront and passing by. Conversely, an old, worn-out commercial paint job can send the wrong message to prospective customers. If you can't take the time to keep up your property's appearance, why would a customer spend their hard-earned money on your products?
The same goes for your businesses' interior paint. Would you want to do business with a company that has peeling paint or unsightly crown molding? At Shield's Painting, our goal is to create a beautiful environment that your customers and employees will love inside and out. When you work with our business painters, you can rest easy knowing we treat your business like it were our own. We always clean up after ourselves and know that operations cannot come to a halt just because we're painting. As such, we'll work with your busy schedule to ensure the job gets done right the first time without disrupting your day-to-day commitments.
With decades of commercial painting experience, we know the demands of a commercial painting project necessitate a disciplined and focused approach from the start. Our team of business painters is committed to delivering quality, on-time results on every project, every time - no excuses

We offer professional business painting services to a variety of building types, including:

01
Industrial Painting
A high level of care and finesse are required to effectively paint an industrial property. At Shields Painting, we know that industrial paint jobs involve much more than aesthetics. That's why our industrial services are customized to your specifications, using industrial-grade materials that stand up to heavy-duty operations.
02
Retail Store Painting
Our commercial painters apply effective, yet appealing interior and exterior paint that stand up to the daily rigors of busy retail environments.


03
Small Business Painting
Do you own a restaurant franchise? Have a small "mom and pop" location that needs a fresh coat of paint? Shields Painting has the resources and reliability to efficiently get the job done the first time. That way, you can focus on serving your customers, not having your business repainted.
04
Healthcare Location Painting
From walk-in clinics to long-term care facilities, Shields Painting is sensitive to your patients' needs. We know you must protect your patient's privacy while maintaining productivity. Our approach to healthcare location painting centers around your schedule to avoid disruptions in care.


05
Apartment Complex Painting
Erase signs of wear and make your apartment complex or multi-family building a more desirable place to live with a stunning, professional paint job.
Florida's Most Trusted Painting Contractor
Shields Painting has been in the business since 1968. In a world where so much has changed, we are proud to uphold the ideals that make us successful: hard, honest work, getting the job done right, and excellent customer service. Providing you with trustworthy, quality work will always take priority over rushing through a project to serve the next customer. That is just not the way we choose to do business.
As professionals dedicated to perfection, we strive to provide a unique painting experience for every customer - one that focuses on their needs and desires instead of our own. Whether you need residential painting for your home or commercial painting for your business, we encourage you to reach out today to speak with our customer service team. Whether you have big ideas about a new paint project or need our expertise and guidance, we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Free Consultation
Latest News in Lake Lindsey, FL
Rainbows, fog, heat on list of 13 weather-related phobias
Hillary Andrewshttps://www.fox13news.com/weather/are-you-astraphobic-learn-about-13-weather-related-fears-for-friday-the-13th
The American Psychological Association defines a phobia, which is now called an anxiety disorder, as "a persistent and irrational fear of a specific situation, object or activity which is consequently either strenuously avoided or endured with marked distress."People who have a fear of heights are acrophobic, while people who fear darkness are nyctophobic. Triskaidekaphobia is anxiety related to and the avoidance of the number 13. A fear t...
The American Psychological Association defines a phobia, which is now called an anxiety disorder, as "a persistent and irrational fear of a specific situation, object or activity which is consequently either strenuously avoided or endured with marked distress."
People who have a fear of heights are acrophobic, while people who fear darkness are nyctophobic. Triskaidekaphobia is anxiety related to and the avoidance of the number 13. A fear that is specifically rooted in a Friday that falls on the 13th day of a month is called paraskevidekatriaphobia.
A Gallup poll found that 25% of Americans are very or somewhat superstitious of Friday the 13th, but a study published in the Bulletin of The American Meteorological Society found that the weather makes more Americans nervous than a date on the calendar – 85% of respondents said they had some degree of fear about severe weather and 40% said they had a moderate degree of fear.
Phobias related to nature and the environment are one of five subclassifications of fears outlined by the APA.
According to the APA, people are resilient and over time, sometimes with help, most can bounce back from weather-related trauma. People who suffer from these disorders can experience panic, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, trembling and a strong desire to get away wrote MentalHeatlh.gov.
ADVICE FOR DEALING WITH STORM ANXIETY WHEN SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS
Lilapsophobia
This is an unhealthy fear of tornadoes or hurricanes. The AMS study also showed that more than 40% of people had a fear of tornadoes and tropical storms. People who suffer from this phobia can live their lives like they are constantly under threat. Exposure therapy is a common treatment, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Conquering this phobia led FOX Weather’s Kendall Smith to a career in meteorology. You can read more about her experience here.
Astraphobia
This is an unhealthy fear of thunder and lightning. More than 90% of AMS study respondents said they have suffered from astraphobia, and the Cleveland Clinic reported that it is one of the most common specific phobias.
Talk or exposure therapy and medication can help ease the symptoms. Meteorologists also suggest weather education to ease anxiety. Read more about how to deal with storm anxiety here.
Ancraphobia
This is an unhealthy fear of wind and drafts. While 90% of people in the AMS study said they have feared high winds at some point, irrational fear of wind is quite rare.
Chinophobia
This is an unhealthy fear of snow. Nearly 80% of respondents in the AMS study said they have feared heavy snow. Several people with this fear suffered snow-related trauma like losing someone to a car accident in the snow.
Ombrophobia
This is a fear of rain, which includes heavy rain, acid rain, germs in rain and flooding rain, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Other weather-related fears
If you or someone you know suffers from these disorders, please seek the help of a medical professional or licensed therapist.
Florida must follow data, enforce rules to clean up Lake Okeechobee pollution | Our View
Editorial Boardhttps://www.tcpalm.com/story/opinion/2022/01/14/florida-must-enforce-pollution-rules-lake-okeechobee-our-view/6510462001/
TCPALM/Treasure Coast NewspapersImagine living in a world where good intentions and wishful thinking are more important than reality. That pretty much describes where state regulators are in their efforts to curb pollution seeping into Lake Okeechobee.The State of Florida has divided the properties along the lake into 32 drainage basins. ...
TCPALM/Treasure Coast Newspapers
Imagine living in a world where good intentions and wishful thinking are more important than reality. That pretty much describes where state regulators are in their efforts to curb pollution seeping into Lake Okeechobee.
The State of Florida has divided the properties along the lake into 32 drainage basins. A recent investigation by TCPalm found pollution in every one of those basins exceeded the limits deemed acceptable by the state between May 2016 and April 2021.
Most of the time, it's not even close. The investigation found pollution levels were 5.7 times above the acceptable limits on the median for those drainage basins.
But you wouldn't know this if you were relying on the state Department of Environmental Protection's data. The state uses modeling estimates that credit pollution-reduction initiatives, regardless of their effectiveness, in determining whether so-called Basin Management Action Plans are working.
Relying on the modeling estimates rather than actual data is like turning up the car radio's volume to drown out the sound of an annoying rattle symptomatic of mechanical trouble.
A failing system:‘Look at the water for evidence.’ Data proves Florida pollution prevention not working
A longstanding problem:For years, TCPalm has sounded alarm about BMAPs not working. Read our past investigations
A catalyst for change:Blue-Green Algae Task Force addresses agriculture, septic systems, public health issues
It's not entirely surprising, though. The state has been lax in other areas of environmental regulation, such as monitoring the amount of lead in the St. Sebastian River.
In TCPalm's investigation, reporters Sydney Czyzon, Max Chesnes, and Lindsey Leake evaluated readings from water-quality monitors used by the South Florida Water Management District. Those readings tell a much different story about the amount of pollutants like phosphorus, primarily from cow manure, seeping into the lake from nearby farms.
Water from the lake is regularly discharged into the St. Lucie River and eventually the Indian River Lagoon, so this pollution should be of great concern to people all around eastern Florida.
The state must take several steps to address this problem.
The first and most obvious is to communicate to property owners along the lake the "best management practices" are mandatory, not optional. Based on comments some property owners made to our reporters, there seems to be some confusion on this point.
The state also must overhaul its efforts to inspect and enforce compliance with those rules. Currently, the Department of Agriculture inspects properties, then refers suspected noncompliance to the DEP.
The DEP could fine polluters up to $50,000, which should be enough to get property owners' attention, but it never has.
It's an inefficient system to have one government agency do inspections, then hand cases off to another agency for enforcement. One department should handle both.
Whichever agency is responsible should treat enforcement as a critical part of its mission and not an afterthought. If there aren't enough inspectors to handle potential cases, the state should allocate more funding to handle that duty.
Of course the state's enforcement efforts should be based on data provided by the water-quality monitors and not just modeling that doesn't accurately reflect what's happening in the lake.
In fact, the state should increase water-monitoring efforts to more accurately identify sources of pollution. There are dozens of properties within each drainage basin, so the state should add monitors to pinpoint which property owners are out of compliance with the standards.
If the state does all of that and water pollution still exceeds acceptable limits, then it might be necessary to consider more stringent standards.
It doesn't seem like we're at that point yet, however. The standards in place might work if they were actually being followed. We won't know that for sure until the state develops a more rigorous inspection and enforcement routine.
Along the Treasure Coast, water quality seems like a nonpartisan issue. Elected officials from both major parties seem to understand how important clean water is to our local economy and way of life.
Understanding is meaningless, though, unless it leads to action. The time for action is now.
Editorials published by TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers are decided collectively by its editorial board. To respond to this editorial with a letter to the editor, email up to 300 words to TCNLetters@TCPalm.com.
For years, TCPalm has sounded alarm about BMAPs not working. Read our past investigations
Max Chesneshttps://www.tcpalm.com/in-depth/news/local/indian-river-lagoon/2022/01/13/tcpalm-investigations-bmaps-florida-polluting-lake-o-okeechobee-water-quality-environment-journalism/8895645002/
TCPalm has exposed Florida’s ineffective water quality programs for years, but problems persist, the environment suffers and manatees are dying in record numbers.The most recent investigation is the first one to show that every single rainfall runoff drainage basin around Lake Okeechobee with available data routinely exceeds the state nutrient pollution limits set by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).That finding, using South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) data, questions the effectiveness of two...
TCPalm has exposed Florida’s ineffective water quality programs for years, but problems persist, the environment suffers and manatees are dying in record numbers.
The most recent investigation is the first one to show that every single rainfall runoff drainage basin around Lake Okeechobee with available data routinely exceeds the state nutrient pollution limits set by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
That finding, using South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) data, questions the effectiveness of two programs meant to help reduce contamination in waterways: Basin Management Action Plans (BMAP) and Best Management Practices (BMP).
Here are some of TCPalm’s previous investigations into these programs and other problems:
2016 | State puts St. Lucie River polluters on honor system to reduce nitrogen
TCPalm uncovered flaws with the state’s system for tracking the amount of pollution in the water.
Instead of tracking pollution reduction with monitors, state officials used modeling estimates in BMAPs and trusted polluters at their word. That led to progress reports painting overly rosy pictures about the state’s waterways. They still do.
TCPalm unveiled industrial amounts of human waste and manure being used as fertilizer on farms around Lake Okeechobee. Chemicals from the fertilizers, including phosphorus and nitrogen, run off farms into waterways and can cause toxic algae blooms.
Lacking caps on fertilizer use further muddle the state’s ability to pinpoint pollution sources, TCPalm found. The story showed limited participation in BMPs.
TCPalm exposed the powerful influence of sugar lobbyists in weakening the state’s environmental regulations.
The state’s track record of giving polluters credit merely based on their word came after a DEP meeting with U.S. Sugar, records show. That strategy usurped an earlier proposal, which would’ve pinpointed the worst polluters and punished them, but instead kept weak BMAPs in place.
TCPalm identified discrepancies between DEP and SFWMD reports. The first agency used models that show progress in reducing pollution, while the latter agency used monitors and hard data that show worsening water quality.
The real numbers show problems with the state’s BMAP and BMP systems in helping waterways.
Sydney Czyzon is TCPalm's projects reporter. Contact her at sydney.czyzon@tcpalm.com, 772-469-6045, @SydneyCzyzon on Twitter or @ReporterSydney on Facebook.
Lindsey Leake is TCPalm’s health reporter. She contributed significant data analysis and digital producing to this report. Contact her at lindsey.leake@tcpalm.com, 772-529-5378, @NewsyLindsey on Twitter or @LindseyMLeake on Facebook.
How did TCPalm uncover problems with BMAP? Here’s an overview of our reporting process
Max Chesneshttps://www.tcpalm.com/in-depth/news/local/indian-river-lagoon/2022/01/15/tcpalm-journalists-max-chesnes-sydney-czyzon-lindsey-leake-florida-bmap-lake-o-okeechobee-pollution/8895767002/
TCPalm’s exclusive investigation of Florida’s flagship program to limit nutrient pollution flowing into Lake Okeechobee is the first to show that every single rainfall runoff drainage basin around the lake with available data exceeds the state limit.Reporting on the Basin Management Action Plans (BMAP) wasn’t simple. It required a lot of research, interviews, records requests and data analysis to uncover problems.To understand the amount of pollution entering Lake O, reporters ...
TCPalm’s exclusive investigation of Florida’s flagship program to limit nutrient pollution flowing into Lake Okeechobee is the first to show that every single rainfall runoff drainage basin around the lake with available data exceeds the state limit.
Reporting on the Basin Management Action Plans (BMAP) wasn’t simple. It required a lot of research, interviews, records requests and data analysis to uncover problems.
To understand the amount of pollution entering Lake O, reporters Sydney Czyzon, Max Chesnes and Lindsey Leake relied on water quality monitoring data tracked by the South Florida Water Management District. That data is in the SFWMD’s Environmental Reports for 2021 and 2022, in the chapters detailing water quality around Lake O.
Leake and Czyzon compared pollution amounts recorded by the SFWMD to pollution limits set by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The reporters divided concentrations for each basin by the state limit to determine all of them had exceeded the limit, not only in 2020 and 2021, but on five-year averages from 2016 through 2021. “All” means all 32 of the 41 basins around Lake O that had available data in 2020 and 2021. “Year” means a “water year,” measured from May 1-April 30.
Czyzon used contrasting data from DEP and SFWMD reports to show discrepancies. While DEP reports farmers were reducing pollution, SFWMD reports they exceeded limits. Czyzon referenced Figure 6 of DEP’s 2020 Statewide Annual Report showing Lake O exceeding its pollution reduction target to pollution loading data shared in chapters 8B of the 2021 and 2022 SFWMD reports.
Reporters also reviewed hundreds of pages of environmental reports to understand the BMAP program. This includes the Lake O chapters of the 2021 and 2022 editions of the SFWMD Environmental Report, the 2020 DEP Statewide Annual Report and the Lake Okeechobee Basin Management Action Plan.
To geographically evaluate basin and watershed locations, reporters used an online mapping application available on the SFWMD website. Reporters used the application’s layering feature to see parcels within each basin.
The state’s pollution-tracking method makes it impossible to pinpoint which among multiple parcel owners in a basin may contribute most to water contamination. However, mapping allowed TCPalm to determine that Rio Rancho Corp. was the sole parcel owner in basin S-154C.
Czyzon recreated the map for readers by using watershed boundaries that most closely matched the Lake O pollution data from the 2021 and 2022 SFWMD reports, shown in Tables 8B-6. Czyzon downloaded an existing mapping file from the SFWMD website for watersheds around Lake O, then imported that file into Google My Maps.
Czyzon was unable to exactly match the boundaries of some watersheds because SFWMD officials said they could not locate correlating mapping files to Tables 8B-6 in the reports. Due to this, watersheds not shown on TCPalm’s map include the L-61E Basin, East Beach Drainage District (Culvert 12), East Shore Drainage District and the lower and upper Kissimmee subwatersheds.
Czyzon and Chesnes used Florida’s open records law to request documents from DEP and the Department of Agricultural Services (DACS), including DEP records detailing noncompliant landowners referred to DACS for enforcement and templates of the warning letters mailed to them. The reporters also were the first to request and receive nutrient records from DACS on the amount of phosphorus being applied to the land around Lake O, nearly 2 million pounds.
DEP denied one request for the agenda and minutes of an Aug. 5, 2021, meeting between DEP and DACS to discuss nitrogen and phosphorous applications. DEP spokesperson Alexandra Kuchta said there was no agenda or meeting minutes.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office emailed a prepared statement via spokesperson Jared Williams. DEP and DACS answered questions via email through spokespersons Kuchta and Erin Moffet, respectively. On-the-record interviews were conducted with:
Rio Rancho Corp. owner Juan Gaitan declined an interview during a brief phone conversation Sept. 15. Czyzon called his verified phone number five times over two months and left voicemails. Czyzon, Chesnes and photojournalist Patrick Dove went to his company’s registered address, 12390 Highway 70 West in Okeechobee, on Oct. 21, but workers said Gaitan was not there and the property was not Rio Rancho.
Czyzon and Chesnes conducted multiple interviews that were on background or off the record, meaning the information could not be included or attributed in the story.
Lindsey Leake is TCPalm's health, welfare and social justice reporter. Contact her at lindsey.leake@tcpalm.com, 772-529-5378, @NewsyLindsey on Twitter or @LindseyMLeake on Facebook.
FAQs about Florida’s BMAP system: Is it effective? Is there a better system?
Sydney Czyzonhttps://www.tcpalm.com/in-depth/news/local/indian-river-lagoon/2022/01/10/faqs-questions-florida-basin-management-action-plan-water-lake-okeechobee-pollution-environment/8895619002/
TCPalm’s exclusive investigation of Florida’s flagship program to limit nutrient pollution flowing into Lake Okeechobee is the first one to show that every single rainfall runoff drainage basin around the lake with available data exceeds the state limits.Reporters analyzed data, maps, warning l...
TCPalm’s exclusive investigation of Florida’s flagship program to limit nutrient pollution flowing into Lake Okeechobee is the first one to show that every single rainfall runoff drainage basin around the lake with available data exceeds the state limits.
Reporters analyzed data, maps, warning letters to noncompliant landowners and hundreds of other documents, some obtained through state open records laws. They also interviewed nearly a dozen farmers, environmentalists and public officials.
Here’s a summary of what they found.
What is BMAP?
BMAP stands for Basin Management Action Plan. These plans are adopted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and include legally enforceable strategies to improve damaged waterways. Thirty-eight water bodies are covered by BMAPs.
Is it effective?
No. Water monitoring data shows BMAPs don’t prevent high levels of pollution from entering Lake Okeechobee yearly. Plus, finger-pointing between agencies, outdated modeling and lacking enforcement hinder the success of BMAPs.
How did it get this way?
Florida officials haven’t backed new regulations with the funding required to fulfill them.
For example, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) is supposed to inspect farms every two years to verify they are adhering to best management practices that reduce pollution. DACS said it doesn’t have enough staff to fulfill its duties, but will ask for more during the legislative session that begins Jan. 11.
DEP and DACS also go back and forth on which is responsible for enforcing the rules.
DEP has the authority to issue fines and pursue lawsuits against farmers, but it never has. Farmers praise the state’s “cooperative” approach and avoid any punishments.
Is there a better system?
Not yet, but there could be. Water advocates say more funding, staff members, water quality data, enforcement and support could bolster the BMAP system.
Why doesn’t anyone do anything?
The confusing and complex nature of BMAPs keeps it from the public’s view. That means officials aren’t held accountable for the system’s problems.
People who feel the system isn’t working can contact their legislators in the state House or Senate with concerns. The legislative session starts Jan. 11.
Another option is donating to nonprofits that fight to help Florida’s waterways. See TCPalm’s 12 Days of Christmas series for what some of them need.
Lindsey Leake is TCPalm’s health reporter. She contributed significant data analysis and digital producing to this report. Contact her at lindsey.leake@tcpalm.com, 772-529-5378, @NewsyLindsey on Twitter or @LindseyMLeake on Facebook.
Disclaimer:
