Indian River Lagoon cleanup tax renewal heads to Brevard County voters

Brevard County voters will decide Tuesday whether to renew a half-cent sales tax that has helped fund Indian River Lagoon cleanup projects since it was approved in 2016, a decision supporters say could shape the next decade of restoration work.The tax has generated about $580 million for lagoon cleanup efforts, including dredging and stormwater filtration projects. Supporters said those projects have helped reduce pollution, improve water quality and support the return of seagrass in parts of the lagoon.Craig Wallace, chairman of the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition, said he has seen major changes since moving to the area about 10 years ago.“When I moved in 10 years ago, my heart sunk,” Wallace said. “I moved here just to live on the lagoon.”Wallace said conditions have improved over time, pointing to fewer large algae blooms as one sign of progress.“We haven’t seen a whole, lagoon-wide algae bloom in at least five years,” he said.The Indian River Lagoon has faced years of environ