STUART, Fla. — City leaders on the Treasure Coast are pleading with residents to quit littering or potentially face the consequences from undercover officers.
Stuart resident Ken Gallant calls this area of Florida paradise.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Protecting Paradise
"It's a nice thing being able to fish everywhere," Gallant said.
He said that it needs to be protected to preserve the environment.
"People are very careless with plastic," Gallant said.
Under the Old Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart, you can find cups, cans and empty containers of alcohol.
City officials said they are trying to crack down on littering on the bridge.
"One of those options is … officers that aren't wearing uniform out there watching," said Stuart Commissioner Merritt Matheson.
Matheson said if problems persist, consequences could follow.
"At the end of the day, FDOT does have the authority to ban fishing from the bridge, and that's something I want to do everything possible to keep that open," Matheson said.
He said he doesn't want the actions of a few residents to affect many.
"Unfortunately, some people, you know, don't have respect for the environment, and those are the people that we're trying to stop in this situation," Matheson said.
"It is a good idea to have people respect it, even if someone has to enforce it," Gallant said.
