WATCH: Port Commission Candidate Mac McLouth Talks About Cleaning the Lagoon, Reviews Cove Plan

Malcolm "Mac" McLouth is a Republican candidate for Canaveral Port Authority District 5

WATCH: Malcolm “Mac” McLouth, a  Republican candidate for Canaveral Port Authority District 5, talks about his desire to open and flush the lagoon and why the Port should review its plan to open the Cove area to the channel.

BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL FLORIDA – Malcolm “Mac” McLouth, a  Republican candidate for Canaveral Port Authority District 5, talks about his desire to open and flush the lagoon and why the Port should review its plan to open the Cove area to the channel.

McLouth, a civil engineer, who is running to return as a port commissioner, believes that by installing a tide activated weir just south of the Canaveral Lock Gates, millions of gallons of seawater will flow into the Indian River Lagoon to help with the brown algae epidemic.

“I have done my research and have met with the scientists who understand the issue and now is the time to act,” said McLouth.

“If I am elected by the people back to the Port Commission, moving this project forward will be my top priority.”

WATCH: Above, Canaveral Port Authority Republican candidate Malcolm “Mac” McLouth talks about the importance of the federal, state and county support of maintaining the channel at Port Canaveral and the renourishment of Brevard’s beaches.

“We have to keep the pressure on the federal government to supply funding for maintenance of the port’s channel and for the beach renourishment program,” said Mclouth.

“The federal government is obligated to keep up with the maintenance, but we must religiously stay in contact with our friends in DC who keep the funding allocated.”

McLouth, who retired from serving at the port as a commissioner in 2008, was urged by current and former commissioners to run again, as he has a huge base of knowledge and experience about Port Canaveral.

“I’ve got all these ideas in my head and I’ve continued to attend all the port meetings for the past 10 years,” said McLouth. “I let them know what I think, whether they like it or not,” joked McLouth.

McLouth recently outlined his plan for helping to clean the lagoon. As a civil engineer, he was intimately involved in the planning and design of numerous features at the port that has become integral parts of the port’s current operating systems.

McLouth was also recently a loud voice in the successful motion for Port Canaveral to purchase approximately 10 acres of Brevard County-owned land critical to the continued operation of Jetty Park. His latest plan is to use the 35-40 acres of port land in and around the Avocet lagoon, which abuts the Canaveral lock gates.

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WATCH: Port Canaveral Commission Candidate Mac McLouth Details His Plan To Clean the Lagoon

McLouth’s plan is to excavate the Avocet lagoon area, build a cove for workboats, including a tide-activated weir system, to allow sea water to flow into the lagoon during high tides. This would occur two times daily, 365 days a year, resulting in millions of gallons of seawater flowing into the lagoon.

“This will increase the flow of water southward, helping to reduce the brown tide, and this is a great way for nature to help clean up the lagoon,” said McLouth.

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McLouth’s expertise and experience at Port Canaveral go back more than 51 years when in 1967 as a first-term port commissioner, McLouth proposed that the Canaveral Port Authority make a pitch to the then brand new Walt Disney World as its “outlet to the sea” for both goods and people.

In the six decades since, McClouth has been a visionary and loyal servant to the development and success of Port Canaveral, which is now the second busiest cruise port in the world – and a major economic driver for the region.

McLouth was honored for his service by Port Canaveral in 1995 by putting his name on the Malcolm E. McLouth Fishing Pier at Jetty Park, which is a landmark 1,200-foot public fishing pier at the opening to the channel into the Atlantic Ocean.

Canaveral Port Authority District 5 includes Merritt Island, Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral.

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Paid political advertisement for Mac McLouth, Republican candidate for Canaveral Port Authority District 5. 

Malcolm “Mac” McLouth, a  Republican candidate for the Canaveral Port Authority District 5, talks about the importance of maintaining the port’s channel and the beach renourishment programs, which are largely funded by the federal government.

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