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Recent Developments
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October 2000
Daytona Beach News Environment | Sun-Sentinel: Everglades Site | Miami Herald: Cy Zaneski | Everglades Village News | Commons-Everglades Discussion | Sun-Sentinel Everglades Discussion | SFWMD News Releases
31-Oct-00
Letter to the editor
Everglades held hostage
...legislation that would save America's Everglades is in trouble in Congress, and there are only a few days to do something about it. ...the fate of the Everglades now rests in the hands of three individuals: Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-
Miss., Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Young, R-Largo. Director, World Wildlife Fund
Copyright © 2000 Palm Beach Post All rights reserved.
Letter to the editor
FAU students, faculty answered nature's call
After standing for three days at the entrance of FAU with signs saying "Shame on FAU" and "Save our Wildlife," it is a pleasure today to praise FAU's faculty, students and friends for their courage in opposing the destruction of the precious natural habitat. The negative effects from the loss of these rare properties and their threatened wildlife are far greater than any perceived benefits resulting from further development, such as the proposed stadium.
Copyright © 2000 Palm Beach Post All rights reserved.
Senate OK's Everglades bill; House to give final approval
(AP): The Senate gave the go-ahead Tuesday for a $7.8 billion project to rescue the Florida Everglades... House bill, which added dozens of extra projects to the non-Everglades portion of the water resources bill, pushing the cost to $6.6 billion, $1.1 billion above the Senate bill. Most of those projects were removed in the final compromise, although Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense said the bill still forces new projects on the Corps of Engineers, which already has a $50 billion backlog of work. He said one project — maintaining a 15-mile stretch of beach on the Outer Banks of North Carolina over the next 50 years — will cost taxpayers $1.5 billion, or $100 million per mile.
Copyright © 2000 AP All rights reserved.
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/florida/MGAL1PL60FC.html
http://www.naplesnews.com/00/11/florida/glades3.htm
http://www.miamiherald.com/content/today/digdocs/069044.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Congress-Everglades.html
30-Oct-00
Letter to the editor
Find the smoking gun in Lake Okeechobee mess
I cannot begin to give adequate thanks to Robert King and Michael Browning
for the superb articles on Lake Okeechobee, the lost lake. Having been a player in the drama over an extended period of time as an South Florida Water Management District board member, I feel more than a small amount of responsibility for the deplorable condition of the lake. I have repeated frequently that the condition of the lake represents my most significant major environmental defeat. But where is the smoking gun? Who made the critical decisions and when were they made? I don't think the chronicle of the lost lake is complete without this information.
NATHANIEL PRYOR REED, Hobe Sound
Copyright © 2000 Palm Beach Post All rights reserved.
28-Oct-00Deal gives Glades plan new life
The fate of Everglades restoration, held hostage to end-of-session maneuvers, got a boost Friday as House and Senate leaders reached a tentative deal on a controversial water projects bill that includes the massive Florida project. ... Sen. Bob Smith, the committee chairman who shepherded the Everglades bill through the Senate, objected to the additions. A House-Senate conference committee tentatively agreed on Thursday to remove some of those provisions, and House leaders are trying to put some in another spending bill.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Everglades plan gets boost
Congress neared agreement Friday on clearing the way for a huge project to restore the Everglades. ... A final committee report has not been issued yet, and the agreement is still only tentative. Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, has said that, if negotiations on the bill fail, he will attach the Everglades plan itself to an appropriations bill.Congress will most likely be in session until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, and possibly as late as Friday. (Palm Beach Post, 10/28/00) Everglades Rescue Edges Closer to Congressional Approval: Washington, D,C, (AP) - ... Supporters of the legislation said they expected a final vote and approval in both the House and Senate early next week. The legislation, somewhat different versions of which earlier had been approved by both chambers, ran into trouble because of Senate opposition to a string of what critics called pork-barrel water projects added by the House. Those provisions were stripped from the legislation leading to an agreement on the overall bill, said House and Senate staffers familiar with the negotiations.
Copyright © 2000 Tampa Tribune / Associated Press All rights reserved.
Deal made on bill with Everglades plan funds
... After three days of
negotiations on a compromise version...lawmakers in Washington have a deal,
said Eryn Witcher, spokeswoman for the Senate Environment and Public Works
Committee. ... The impasse that developed after the House sent the bill back
to the Senate involved more than $1 billion in unrelated water and dredging
projects championed by House Transportation Chairman Bud Shuster. "It was a
whole series of Christmas trees, stuff that Shuster came up with that hadn't
been reviewed by anyone," said Nathaniel Reed, a prominent Jupiter Island
resident and ardent environmentalist.
Copyright © 2000 TC Palm All rights reserved.
Editorial: Everglades plan held hostage
Measure needs to be attached to must-pass bill. Now that it's finally won the support it needs to pass and be signed by the president, Everglades restoration may need a desperate last-minute rescue. ... Now the measure may need to be rescued by pulling it out of the Water Resources Development Act and attaching it to some must- pass appropriations bill, a tactic that Rep. Bill Young, R-St. Petersburg, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott say they are willing to use. .... Down the road, we face a lot of tough decisions about growth, agriculture and natural resources. But we have to first get on the road. Take time to urge congressional leaders to fund the first stage of Everglades restoration, this year, by one means or another.
Copyright © 2000 Fort Meyers News Press All rights reserved.
Everglades rescue edges closer to congressional approval
With adjournment nearing, House and Senate negotiators have agreed on a broad waterway construction bill which contains the first installment for the Everglades restoration. Supporters of the legislation said they expected a final vote and approval in both the House and Senate early next week. The legislation, somewhat different versions of which earlier had been approved by both chambers, ran into trouble because of Senate opposition to a string of what critics called pork-barrel water projects added by the House. Those provisions were stripped from the legislation leading to an agreement on the overall bill, said House and Senate staffers familiar with the negotiations.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Glades plan seems close to U.S. approval
An Everglades restoration plan appears headed for final approval in Congress early next week. Congressional negotiators struck a deal late Thursday that removed contentious issues from an appropriations bill that contains the Everglades plan, clearing a path for final passage, probably Monday or Tuesday. The breakthrough brought relief to restoration backers, who feared the plan to transform South Florida's ecosystem would fall victim to wrangling over other issues contained in a larger water-projects bill.
Copyright © 2000 Sun-Sentinel All rights reserved.
Can tiny fly fight melaleuca?
Scientists and water managers fighting the spread of the Australian melaleuca tree have enlisted another soldier. It's the melaleuca bud gall fly, a tiny, golden-brown insect imported from Australia a couple months ago. It's now being tested by U.S. Department of Agriculture and University of Florida scientists.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Garbage Truck Drivers Sentenced for Dumping Waste in Everglades
A federal judge sentenced two garbage truck drivers Friday for dumping two loads of household waste in Everglades National Park. ... National Park Service rangers observed the men dumping 40 to 50 cubic yards of trash in the park May 4 after getting a call on April 27 about another, similar-sized dumping. ... Park rangers set up a surveillance and watched the second dumping. The men told authorities they were paid $600 on each occasion to pay disposal fees to a Broward County reception facility. Instead, they dumped the garbage in the park and split the money.
Copyright © 2000 Tampa Tribune All rights reserved.
Hunters pledge to battle limits at Big Cypress
A national hunters' rights group has entered the bitter battle over swamp buggies, airboats and other off-road vehicles in the Big Cypress National Preserve. The Wildlife Conservation Fund of America, which has successfully fought attempts to limit hunting and trapping across the United States, is considering a lawsuit to overturn off-road vehicle restrictions that went into effect Tuesday. Hunters on both Florida coasts are raising money for legal fees, and they say they will go to court.
Copyright © 2000 Sun-Sentinel All rights reserved.
Flood readiness is questioned
S. Florida water officials urge task force to hurry game plan. Like rising storm water, expectations were high Friday at a briefing held by the Governor's South Florida Flooding Task Force. Nearly 150 water managers, disaster specialists and local officials attended the session, trying to assist the task force in finding a cure for recurrent flooding. But some local officials protested when they saw the high-level hand-wringing still hasn't yielded a tangible game plan -- the stated goal of Friday's session.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Flood mapping creates big waves
Wellington is under water. At least, that's what a new set of government maps indicates could happen in a heavy flood. If the maps become official, perhaps as early as next summer, property values could drop and residents in Wellington -- and parts of Jupiter, too -- would pay hefty rates for federal flood insurance. ,,, Even the new maps may be obsolete for some areas. Elevation measurements are based on technology that has a margin of error of as much as 5 feet. A new laser-equipped plane that maps elevations to within 6 inches is scheduled to survey coastal Palm Beach County. "The laser plane could make them obsolete; it could also validate them," Palm Beach County Emergency manager Bill O'Brien said.
Copyright © 2000 Palm Beach Post All rights reserved.
Water bill's chances poor
Measure would aid Keys with $100 million. Key West -- With Congress tackling unfinished business today and possibly into next week, Keys environmentalists and government authorities are hoping for a miracle but are bracing for the probability that a long-fought Keys water- quality bill will drown in the final days of the session.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Sewer project lawsuit hits fast track
Judge, attorneys express concern over delays' cost. Key West -- A judge agreed Thursday to fast-track a lawsuit over allegations that the county violated the state's Sunshine Law during the bidding process for Key Largo's $59 million sewer project.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
New River Village gets green light from judge
A judge ruled on Friday that the developer of an upscale apartment complex on the New River in Fort Lauderdale can proceed with his plan, despite concerns that it will further clog an already overdeveloped downtown.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Garden cultivates ecological interests
Erica Fielder, an adjunct faculty member at College of the Redwoods and now a visiting professor of ecological art at Miami-Dade Community College, has been guiding the students, most of whom are members of the school's Environmental Fellowship program, and teaching them to view the world through an ecological lens. In addition to building the garden, Environmental Fellowship students regularly participate in colloquiums, perform community servic... ``The mission is to expose students to earth literacy,'' said Joyce DiBenedetto- Colton, interim director of the Environmental Ethics Institute, which co- sponsors the fellowships.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Ribbon cutting at environmental center
A $500,000 Environmental Learning Center was open for a party Friday, but it will be a while before it's open to St. Lucie County students and other residents. ... It sits on land that the county and the South Florida Water Management District bought as part of efforts to preserve the North Fork of the St. Lucie River. The building and surrounding ecological systems will be used as a classroom for St. Lucie County school children.. ... Boardwalks and trails will link the building and the river a half-mile away. Outdoor classrooms will be used to teach students about different ecological systems.
Copyright © 2000 Palm Beach Post All rights reserved.
27-Oct-00
Public Meeting on Cooperative and License Agreement Renewal Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
The northern most portion of the remaining Everglades is a 221-square mile
area known as Water Conservation Area 1 (WCA-1) in Palm Beach County. This
state-owned wilderness area has been managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) as a National Wildlife Refuge since 1951 under a 50-year
cooperative and license agreement (license agreement) with the South Florida
Water Management District (SFWMD).
The license agreement between USFWS and the SFWMD needs to be updated to
address current management approaches and concerns in light of policy and
statutory changes over the past 50 years. Thus, the SFWMD Governing Board
has elected to extend the existing license for a one-year period during
which a new license agreement will be negotiated.
The purpose of the public meeting is to solicit public comment relevant to a
new license agreement. Subjects for consideration in a new license
agreement may include:
- clarifying the District’s reserved rights and uses;
- clarifying the use of WCA-1 as a component of the regional water
management system;
- distinguishing between the management of lands within the WCA-1 levees
and the adjacent lands outside the levees; incorporating performance
measures and reporting standards.
Two meetings have been scheduled to receive comments:
DATE AND TIME: October 26, 2000 - 6:30 p.m.
PLACE: South County Civic Center
16700 Jog Road, Delray Beach, FL
DATE AND TIME: October 27, 2000 - 9:00 a.m.
PLACE: South Florida Water Management District
3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL
Future activities for this process are as follows:
January - June 2001: Evaluate public comment, negotiate draft license
July 2001: Public comment on draft license
September - October 2001: Seek USFWS & SFWMD Governing Board approval
In the event that you cannot attend the public meetings regarding the
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge License Agreement, please send us your
written comments prior to December 15, 2000, to:
Fred Davis, Director
Land Stewardship Department
Post Office Box 24680
West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680
If you require additional information contact us at (561) 682-6636, by
e-mail at fdavis@sfwmd.gov.
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and Everglades Litigation
Glades plan, immigrants await Congress' last decisions
Negotiations continued on both fronts without a resolution on Thursday, leaving frayed nerves as the two-year session grinds down to an end, probably this weekend or early next week. If these measures are not adopted by the end, they will die at least a temporary death until revived next year. ... "The Everglades is not the problem," Shaw said. "The House bill has a bunch of other projects, and the Senate does not want to accept them." If the talks break down, Shaw hopes to attach the Everglades provisions to another spending bill. Lott indicated on Thursday he would accept such a move.
Copyright © 2000 Sun-Sentinel All rights reserved.
Everglades bill fights to survive
With time running out for Congress, Florida lawmakers scrambled Thursday to save the Everglades restoration bill from being sunk by disagreements over unrelated "pork barrel" spending. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, indicated the Everglades recovery plan could be attached to the year's last, must-pass appropriations bill if House and Senate negotiators can't resolve their differences over 100 local projects worth more than $1 billion in the Water Resources Development Act. "The vast majority of this Congress and the American people support saving the Everglades," said Sen. Bob Graham, D-Miami Lakes "It would be tragic to let politics derail restoration of this national treasure."
Copyright © 2000 Fort Meyers News Press All rights reserved.
Panther expert urges attention to habitat
A national panther expert said Thursday the endangered big cats are Florida's version of the canary in the coal mine. The panther population's decline signals problems with water and land management and the area's environmental health in general, said Larry Richardson, a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ... Richardson's topographical photographs showed changes in the region's development, forests and swamps since 1950. They affect not only the panther's need for 200 square miles of territory per adult male - and half that for a female - but also the animals' food sources, such as deer and wild hogs. Audience members seemed encouraged and electrified by Richardson's concise, direct speech. (Fort Myers News Press, 10/27/00) Bush, Cabinet OK marina project: Despite protests from residents and environmentalists, Gov. Jeb Bush and the Cabinet approved a 45-slip commercial marina that is the first part of an Everglades City project that may one day include a 62-unit hotel, restaurant and gift shop alongside the Barron River and near the city's airport.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Bush, Cabinet OK marina project
Despite protests from residents and environmentalists, Gov. Jeb Bush and the Cabinet approved a 45-slip commercial marina that is the first part of an Everglades City project that may one day include a 62-unit hotel, restaurant and gift shop alongside the Barron River and near the city's airport.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
26-Oct-00
Glades bill hits snag in Congress
A power struggle among GOP legislative leaders and charges of pork-barrel politics have stalled passage of the popular Everglades restoration bill just days before Congress is likely to adjourn for the year. Several members of the Florida delegation said Wednesday they are still optimistic about passage this week, but conceded that major differences between the House and Senate versions of a
water projects bill that includes the Everglades have created a last-minute obstacle. … But three staff members familiar with recent developments were
more pessimistic, and environmental groups warned that the Everglades restoration plan, which passed both houses by wide margins, was being used
to push a wide-ranging House bill that includes controversial projects and provisions. A coalition of five conservation groups, including Friends of the Earth and the National Wildlife Federation, urged GOP leaders Wednesday ``not to hold passage of the Everglades plan hostage to an agreement to pass a costly and environmentally destructive water projects bill.''
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Everglades cash mired in politics
… The impasse centers on more than $1 billion in unrelated water and dredging projects championed by House Transportation Chairman Bud Shuster, R-Pa., Everglades supporters and anti-waste activists said Wednesday. … Supporters hope it can be saved. U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-West Palm Beach, said he is confident Congress will attach the Everglades restoration to one of its remaining budget bills -- the only legislation the lawmakers must pass before they go home. But time is running out. Congress could adjourn for the year as early as Friday.
Copyright © 2000 Palm Beach Post All rights reserved.
Squabbling may sink $8B project
Everglades backers are poised to rush to
the rescue of a landmark down in wrangling in Congress' final days. The
House and Senate have passed different versions of the Water Resources
Development Act, or WRDA, which includes a $1.4 billion downpayment on a
plan to restore natural water flows to the River of Grass and supply water
to growing cities and farms.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Everglades bill approval tangled in legislative spat
Environmental groups backing Everglades restoration fear that a tussle between the two houses of Congress will tie up final approval of the multibillion-dollar program to help the River of Grass before the session adjourns this week. "The House is basically holding the Everglades bill hostage," Ed Hopkins of the Sierra
Club's Washington office said Wednesday. ... Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H.,
chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, has objected to many of the spending projects that House members are hoping to bring home to
constituents. Without some quick resolution, "we are in very significant danger of losing the Everglades legislation," Lee said. "Things are looking increasingly bleak."
Copyright © 2000 St. Petersburg Times All rights reserved.
Editorial: Everglades needs GOP
House leaders have promised that historic legislation to restore Florida's Everglades will pass in the next few days before Congress recesses. They will have to take quick, decisive action to make it so. Last week, the House approved a bill that authorizes money for the first projects in what is known as the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. … Republicans in Florida and Washington support Everglades restoration. Their party has the power to pass it. If necessary, separate the legislation. With enough will, there's a way to make history.
Editorial: To The Point Save The Everglades Bill
Now it is Everglades legislation that must be saved if future generations are to enjoy a healthy South Florida ecosystem. In Congress's last two days of session, critical Everglades provisions must be attached to a spending bill that will become law. Otherwise funding for Everglades restoration could be doomed. … And House leadership, hoping to get its pets, appears willing to hold the Everglades hostage. The Everglades mustn't become a casualty of 11th-hour
Congressional politicking. Florida's delegation -- particularly powerful House Rules Committee members Porter Goss, R-Sanibel, and Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Miami -- must see to it.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Congressional session winds down
with quality of Keys water at...The $213-million water-quality proposal, introduced by U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, is part of the same legislative act as the $8-billion Everglades restoration plan, but the two are separate from each other. The Keys
water-quality bill has been approved by the House of Representatives three times, but has yet to be passed by the Senate. "The focus has been clearly and solely Everglades restoration," she said. "Convincing critical members that Everglades restoration is incomplete if America's coral reef ecosystem is lost has just not resonated with them [the Senate.]"
Copyright © 2000 Keys news All rights reserved.
25-Oct-00Opinion: Politicians, sincere or not, save the Everglades
Within days, Congress will endorse an improbable and fantastic plan to save the
Everglades. It will approve $7.8 billion for a 36-year mission to undo more than half a century of poisoning and plunder. The cost will be shared by Uncle Sam and the state of Florida, which together will oversee the most challenging public-works project in history.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
24-Oct-00
Author encourages FGCU's would-be environmental
Renowned author Peter Mathiessen delivered a message of environmental preservation and local activism to a few dozen Florida Gulf Coast University students Monday. …part of the Orion Society's Forgotten Language Tour. It featured five environmental writers and activists… The group hosted readings on Sanibel Island and Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary over the weekend before talking with students at FGCU during and after lunch. Mathiessen, 73, said many people talk about protecting natural resources but never do anything about local issues that could taint this area's natural surroundings for generations to come.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
20-Oct-00
Glades restoration passes House
Reconciling differences with a Senate version seems likely and Clinton has said he'll sign it. The House gave near-unanimous approval Thursday to the first step in restoring the Everglades, prompting a stampede to the microphone and the fax machine by politicians across the country for some congratulatory back-slapping. They evoked words like "historic" and "landmark" to describe the 394-14 vote in favor of a big water resources development measure, which includes the $1.4-billion first installment of the Everglades restoration. The bill authorizes the construction of 10 projects that will break ground beginning in 2004. The ambitious plan will eventually cost $7.8-billion, shared by Florida taxpayers and the U.S. government, and take some 36 years to complete
Copyright © 2000 St. Petersburg Times All rights reserved.
Lee puts best assets in ads
…Tourism is Lee's largest industry, having an economic impact last year of $1.63 billion. This year, the Lee Island Coast Visitor & Convention Bureau will spend close to $5 million of its $6.6 million operating budget on advertising and promotion. … Instead of focusing just on the endangered turtles that choose Lee County's mostly protected beaches for nesting, one series of ads speaks of a caring, environmentally-aware community with a lights-out policy to help hatchlings find their way back to the sea. However, one of the ads may be stretching a point. It says: "Out here we have a law that says you can't build anything taller than the highest palm tree. Kind of shows you where our priorities
are."
Copyright © 2000 Fort Meyers News Press All rights reserved.
House approves landmark $8 billion cleanup plan
The House has come to the rescue of the ailing south Florida Everglades and agreed with the Senate on the first federal down-payment of an $8 billion plan to try and restore the swamp's ecosystem over the next 36 years. "The blueprint is how God created it. We want to go back to as close to what it was before man rechanneled it," said Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fla. Shaw led the effort to get Congress to share the costs of what he said will be the largest ecosystem restoration project in the world. The House vote for approval Thursday was 394-14. The ambitious restoration plan envisions eventually building a series of containment reservoirs across South Florida to keep some of the 1.7 billion gallons of water that currently flows to the sea each day. The idea is to undo severe damage caused by seven decades of draining the fragile swamps, which has altered salt levels in South Florida, imported pollution from farm fields, and now threatens the future of egrets, manatees, alligators and other animals living there. "The evidence is in. There's no excuse. Let's get on with the solution," said Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla. He said a delay in trying new restoration projects has already "brought the Florida Everglades to the brink of disaster." The project is not without its critics. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Transportation water projects subcommittee overseeing the project, stressed federal and state experts aren't sure if the restoration efforts are going to work. But he said they are better than allowing the Everglades to die. He said paying for the plan in installments will allow Congress to cut off further funding if the projects are found to do even more damage.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Everglades: House approves landmark $8 billion cleanup plan
The House has come to the rescue of the ailing south Florida Everglades and agreed with the Senate on the first federal down-payment of an $8 billion plan to try and restore the swamp's ecosystem over the next 36 years. ... The House vote for approval Thursday was 394-14. ...The idea is to undo severe damage caused by seven decades of draining the fragile swamps, which has altered salt levels in South Florida, imported pollution from farm fields, and now threatens the future of egrets, manatees, alligators and other animals living there.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Everglades Restoration Project Nears Completion in Congress
Both parties, the White House, both presidential nominees and the entire Florida delegation to Congress endorsed the bill, a rare break from election-year partisanship. Both environmentalists and farmers lined up behind it. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush called a congressional news conference to express his gratitude for the "historic" partnership. The Everglades "truly is dying, and we need to do something about it," Bush said. ... The two chambers agree on the Everglades portion but must now work out differences on other parts of the bill.
Copyright © 2000 AP All rights reserved.
House OKs Everglades restoration
A landmark Everglades restoration plan sailed through the House on Thursday as lawmakers rushed to move the legislation to a final vote. ... Rob Andrys, president of the Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association, said he’s glad to see the legislation pass, but there’s a lot of work to be done before the ecosystem is restored. There are serious problems out there in many arenas, mostly with water quality and when they release the water." Massive as the Everglades restoration project is, Andrys said, "It’s going to take not only money but cooperation among the agencies involved." ... Lake Okeechobee has to be used as a lake, not a rain barrel.
Copyright © 2000 Fort Meyers News Press All rights reserved.
Airport could top 5 million passengers
September broke another record at Southwest Florida International Airport, putting the airport on pace to pass the 5 million passenger mark this year. ... Air freight volume is also on the upswing. The airport handled more than 2.4 million pounds of air cargo in September, an increase of 8 percent for the month and more than 12 percent for the year.
Copyright © 2000 News Press All rights reserved.
19-Oct-00
For: 394 / Against: 14: The House on Oct. 19 passed a bill
Swamp Wars
Water Resources Development Act (S 2796) -- authorizing $6 billion in fiscal 2001 for hundreds of flood control and navigation projects carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The bill's largest expenditure is $1.4 billion for the first phase of federal support for restoring the Florida Everglades. The 35-year state-federal project will redirect previously diverted water flows through the vast but shrinking ecosystem in south and central Florida. A yes vote was to pass the bill. (House, 10/19/00)
Beset by feds and environmentalists, the good ol' boys of Big Cypress National Preserve circle the buggies.
(New Times - Broward Palm Beach Counties, 10/19/00)Sugar Farmers Hail Historic Partnership as Everglades Legislation Passes House
United States Sugar Corporation applauds both the bipartisan effort in the House and Senate and the spirit of cooperation between state and federal government, business interests, farmers and environmental organizations in passing this historic Everglades legislation.
See press release belowHouse Passes $7.8 Billion Plan to Save the Florida Everglades
The House approved one of the largest environmental-restoration projects in the country's history today, voting overwhelmingly for a $7.8 billion program to revive the Florida Everglades over the next four decades. The 394-to-14 vote, following the Senate's approval by 85-1 on Sept. 25, clears the way for an undertaking to revamp South Florida's water supply by capturing more rainwater and redirecting much of its flow into the Everglades.
Copyright © 2000 NY Times, AP online All rights reserved.
Clamoring over Everglades may finally ease with restoration bill
Years of toil, worry and compromise on a plan to rescue the Everglades may finally pay off for environmentalists, farmers, residents and people who work and play in the ``River of Grass.'' U.S. lawmakers on Thursday approved the first phase of an ambitious $7.8 billion effort to restore the Everglades and reverse more than a half-century of abuse to the watery ecosystem. Eight years of planning by local, state and federal governments and disagreement by environmental, agricultural and Native American interests over how restoration should occur doesn't seem nearly as important now that the effort is so close to getting underway, advocates said. ``We can taste it,'' said David Struhs, secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The Everglades plan, spearheaded by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, aims to undo environmental damage done in the name of agriculture and development and return natural water flows while ensuring adequate water supply for the next 50 years.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald, AP online All rights reserved.
Everglades: Caloosahatchee River is site of $6M pilot aquifer storage project
Southwest Florida can lay claim to a chunk of the Everglades bill passed Thursday by the U.S. House. The bill authorizes the first phase of an $8 billion restoration that aims to supply enough water to cities, farms and the environment instead of wasting it through a 50-year-old system of canals that dumps into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the first phase is a $6 million pilot project along the Caloosahatchee River to test Aquifer Storage and Recovery, or ASR, technology that pumps water underground and pumps it back up during the dry season. ASR is a crucial part of the restoration.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Everglades: Clamoring over 'River of Grass' may finally ease with restoration bill:
Years of toil, worry and compromise on a plan to rescue the Everglades may finally pay off for environmentalists, farmers, residents and people who work and play in the "River of Grass." ... "It's an extremely good, well-balanced bill that will serve all the problems to the best extent that it could be done," said Florida International University biologist Ron Jones, a who has been a strong advocate of the plan. ... "It's quality of life in South Florida," said Robert DeGross, a park ranger at Everglades National Park. "Even if you don't visit the wilderness, it's nice to know that it's there."
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Everglades restoration bill wins House OK
The initial spending would be about $1.4 billion to finance 10 of the 68 projects in South Florida. The design and engineering phase of the first projects is to begin in January, with construction starting in 2004. ... To keep tabs on the program, Congress will mete out financing year by year. No individual project can go 20 percent over budget without an explanation to Congress.
Copyright © 2000 Tampa Tribune All rights reserved.
House Approves Far-Reaching Everglades Restoration Project
The legislation is a rare confluence of political and economic forces.... Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., a fiscal conservative, voted against the bill because, he said, it had become a "feeding frenzy" for lawmakers trying to attach their pet projects, raising the cost of the entire bill from $2 billion to $6 billion. He said it also failed to adequately address needed reforms for the Corps of Engineers, which he said had become "nothing more than a water boy for the U.S. Congress."
Copyright © 2000 AP All rights reserved.
Environmentalists, boaters square off over sea cows
Boaters and environmental advocates went head to head Thursday at a Tallahassee hotel and left arm in arm on proposals for better enforcement of manatee speed zones and better boater education.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Glades restoration plan glides to House
A massive Everglades restoration plan cleared its last big hurdle in Congress on Thursday when the House overwhelmingly passed a water spending bill containing a 36-year blueprint for replumbing South Florida's ecosystem. ... If approved, the plan will still depend on annual appropriations, which could become a yearly struggle. ... The strategy is to return the ecosystem of the lower third of the Florida peninsula to something closer to what it was before mankind changed it. "We do have a wonderful blueprint, and that is how God created it," Shaw said.
Copyright © 2000 Sun-Sentinel All rights reserved.
U.S. House approves Everglades restoration
The House approved a historic project Thursday to reverse decades of environmental damage to the Everglades, one of the nation's most endangered natural areas. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan was part of a wide-ranging bill authorizing dozens of federal water projects. The House vote was 394-14. The Senate approved the bill 85-1 in September.
Copyright © 2000 Palm Beach Post All rights reserved.
Just a start to help `River of Grass'
Now the fight to save the Everglades begins in earnest. The $7.8 billion restoration bill heading to President Clinton's desk has supporters savoring the moment -- but not for long. They know they're embarking on four decades of struggle over money, science,
farming and development, with the final outcome far from a sure thing.
Copyright © 2000 Palm Beach Post All rights reserved.
Editorial: Act on the Everglades
Congress may have only two days to pass the most important piece of legislation for South Florida in recent memory. The Senate has approved money to begin the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project that will rebuild the region's water system. If the House can pass it before adjournment, which could come Friday, President Clinton will sign it.
Copyright © 2000 Palm Beach Post All rights reserved.
Editorial: To the point: Keep Everglades out of politics
There are many legitimate reasons for some to find fault with George W. Bush's environmental record, but his position on the Florida Everglades shouldn't be one of them. The Florida Democratic Party's ad, now airing throughout the state on behalf of Vice President Al Gore, implies that the Everglades would be endangered by Mr. Bush's election.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Letter to the Editor
Consider people first, then parks: It seems that in the rush to restore the Everglades, the National Park Service has relegated humans to a distinctly secondary position. One only has to look at the recent flooding in Miami-Dade County to conclude the folks at Everglades National Park simply don't care about the misery they cause to families whose homes were flooded, the crops that were lost or the farmers whose livelihoods are threatened. .. Maybe a class-action lawsuit against the Park Service is what it will take to hold the park responsible for its actions.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Census: South Florida is younger, more diverse and rapidly changing
New population estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau show that during the past decade Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties have grown by a combined 686,000 people. Parkland in northwest Broward ranked first in Florida in population increases and third nationally in the percentage of growth since 1990. The tiny northwest Broward community, where homes typically start at $325,000, has grown 271 percent to almost 13,000 residents. ... Most eastern cities have already run out, but they are experiencing a resurgence in redevelopment.
Copyright © 2000 Sun-Sentinel All rights reserved.
South Florida flooding costs insurance companies $155 million
President Clinton declared Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe and Collier counties disaster areas after a Oct. 2 and 3 deluge saw more than 18 inches of rain fall on the area. .. Total claims for the damage caused by heavy rains Oct. 2 and 3 were estimated at 45,000 by Property Claim Services, which compiles claims data for the insurance industry. ... Three people died because of the flooding and state figures show about 95,000 homes and 600 businesses were damaged. Losses covered by auto insurance account for $75
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Senate action:
Glades restoration project approved
Canady takings bill rejected
14-Oct-00
Loxahatchee refuge sets up new Web page
Palm Beach County's federal wildlife refuge has a new home online. The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge's new Web site can be found at http://loxahatchee.fws.gov.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
expects to have its new Everglades regional office in West Palm Beach open by Dec. 2. The $3.7 million, 15,600-square-foot complex is going up in an appropriate setting: the city's Loxahatchee Nature Preserve at 8535 Northlake Blvd., one mile west of the Bee Line Highway intersection. The Gumbo Limbo Nature Center will have an open house Oct. 22 for its 16th
anniversary. The nature center at 1801 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton, will be
open from noon to 4 p.m. for the event, Manager Steve Bass said.
Copyright © 2000 Sun-Sentinel All rights reserved.
Sticking point resolved in House Everglades bill
Federal lawmakers reached a compromise on the final sticking point of Everglades restoration -- labor wages -- putting the bill back on track for a House vote that could come as soon as Tuesday. .. Once Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., the ranking Democrat
on the Transportation Committee, received confirmation that the Davis-Bacon Act would apply to all water projects in the bill, he dropped his objection.
Copyright © 2000 St. Petersburg Times All rights reserved.
Everglades restoration bill awaits debate, vote in House
The Senate overwhelmingly passed the legislation Sept. 25.... But the House
is yet to act, despite a general consensus among lawmakers that it should
be approved. ... At present, the Senate-passed bill is being "held at the
desk" in the house. ...until House leaders can schedule the time for debate
and a vote. ... Rumor had it Tuesday that it would be voted on that day. It
wasn't. Then the conventional wisdom held that Thursday would be the day.
Thursday came and went. The collective wager is now on this coming Tuesday.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Jeb Bush asks Gore to drop attack on brother based on environment
(AP) - ... Florida Gov. Jeb Bush asked Vice President Al Gore
to stop airing an ad attacking George W. Bush's environmental record
because he said it jeopardizes Everglades restoration. The ad, paid for by
the Democratic National Committee, criticizes George W. Bush's
environmental record as governor of Texas and concludes: "Now imagine
Bush's Texas record in Florida's Everglades." In a letter Friday to Gore,
Jeb Bush requested that Gore's presidential campaign immediately pull the
ad because congress may be turned off to a pending Everglades restoration
project by the injection of politics. ... A spokeswoman for the Democratic
National Committee said the DNC had no plans to remove the ad.
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Jeb Bush asks Gore to pull TV ad concerning Glades
Gov. Jeb Bush on Friday asked Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore to stop running a TV ad that criticizes George W. Bush's environmental record in Texas, saying it threatens the restoration of the Everglades by introducing ``the poison of partisan political attack.''
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
12-Oct-00
Flooding prompts call to action
State water managers already had a detailed plan to ease flooding in Miami-Dade, and Wednesday, with pockets of the county still soggy a week after a disastrous deluge, they decided they ought to get cracking on it. Prodded by two members from Miami, the board of the South Florida Water Management District, which operates South Florida's primary drainage system, urged the agency to kick-start several projects on the books since Hurricane Irene flooded Miami-Dade last year. Two of them -- installing powerful pumps on the Tamiami Canal and dredging several canals, including Tamiami -- would provide some relief to the county's most flood-prone communities, Sweetwater and West Miami. ``Ain't no time for feasibility studies right now,'' said board member Gerardo Fernandez. ``We know what needs to get done, let's get the horses to get it done.''
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
11-Oct-00
Floridians in House optimistic about Glades plan
Three South Florida House members said Tuesday that they still are optimistic that the massive Everglades-restoration plan will pass the House this month, but warned that unpredictable end-of-session politics could sabotage the environmental legislation. … Members from both parties said they are lobbying at the highest levels to make sure the Everglades bill does not get lost when last-minute legislation is considered. Congressional leaders are trying to adjourn this week, but concede that they might be meeting next week. … The Senate approved the $7.8 billion restoration plan two weeks ago by a vote of 85-1, but since then it has been held hostage to several issues.
Copyright © 2000 Miami Herald All rights reserved.
Editorial: Sugar Industry
...sweet deal for growers is a toothache for the public
Oh, what a sweet deal. Big sugar growers and manufacturers are lining up again for federal pampering that leaves a sour taste with the public. Industry giants from Florida and elsewhere get bailed out for millions - the number goes as high as $85 million this year - in federal loans that Big Sugar says it cannot afford to repay. …It gets more infuriating the longer it goes on, and it's been going on for decades - while taxpayers prepare to invest in yet another endeavor with links to Big Sugar, the restoration of the Everglades. Some say that's yet another sugar bailout. Someday, somehow U.S. citizens will elect a Congress more dedicated to free enterprise than campaign contributions, and put a halt to these sugar shenanigans
Copyright © 2000 Naples News All rights reserved.
Opinion: Searching for pulse of dying lake
…I have mixed feelings about Lake Okeechobee. It's sad that Florida has let the lake's condition get so bad. But it's almost bad enough to make me turn away from a place I love. I won't swim in Lake O. The water's too dirty to see any alligators that might sneak up. And I can't forget the fish that develop sores and lesions whenever Lake Okeechobee's overflow is dumped into the St. Lucie River… The water today is the deep brown of strong tea. The color probably is from silt and muck on the bottom, but it's hard not to think about the cow manure from area dairy farms and the sewage sludge spread on nearby fields.
Copyright © 2000 Palm Beach Post All rights reserved.
10-Oct-00Republicans to Double Democrats' TV Spending
Between Oct. 1 and Election Day on Nov. 7, the GOP plans to spend at least $2.5 million on television advertising, compared with $10 million for Democrats, the officials said. …The Democratic National Committee announced today that it would spend $850,000 over the next 10 days for Gore on television ads in Florida where Bush's brother, Jeb Bush, is governor. An environment-themed ad that will
begin airing this week says, "Imagine Bush's Texas record, in Florida's Everglades." Total Florida spending for Gor's campaign and the part for the
next 10 days is $1.5; between them they hope to spend at least $1 million a
week through the election in a state that many experts says is a must-win
for Bush.
Copyright © 2000 Washington Post All rights reserved.
08-Oct-00
Environmentalists say new drainage plan can't fully restore South Florida ecosystem
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK --Undaunted by the drizzle rolling off her face, 75-year-old Juanita Greene climbed the steep incline to the observation tower overlooking a shallow channel called the Shark River Slough. Peering through binoculars, she reveled in the sight, the sounds, the smell of the Everglades taking on rainwater. "It's so beautiful," she said over and over. As conservation director for Friends of the Everglades, making this threatened river of grass healthy again is her passion. An intricate, marshy ecosystem found nowhere else in the world, half of the "river of grass" that once covered 9 million acres of South Florida has been paved, ploughed and drained. What's left of the Everglades is dying, a victim of too little water, too much water at the wrong time, or water so polluted that it cannot sustain native wildlife.
Copyright © 2000 Houston Chronicle All rights reserved.
President Clinton Vetoes Water Bill
Washington, DC (AP) -- President Clinton vetoed a $23.6 billion energy and water bill spending bill Saturday, saying it poses environmental harm by blocking his plans to let the Missouri River ebb and flow with the seasons. The issue has set environmentalists and upriver recreation interests against downstream farmers and barge shippers. ... And he said Congress failed to include enough money for a long list of priority concerns, including the environmental restoration of the Florida Everglades... ``I urge Congress to quickly produce an energy-water bill I can sign,'' Clinton said.
Copyright © 2000 NY Times, AP online All rights reserved.
07-Oct-00
State environmentalists worry over stalled bill
… the plan has been stalled in the House for various reasons, including an effort by some Democratic lawmakers to ensure that prevailing union wages are paid to
contractors in the restoration work. … DEP Secretary David Struhs blasted the wage proposal as game-playing by a "frustrated handful in the minority." If the roles were reversed and Republicans were blocking passage of the Everglades bill, "they would be pilloried," he said. … "This is the worst kind of gamesmanship I've seen in a long time," Struhs said, accusing the Democrats of seeking to derail the bill this year in hopes of taking control of the House and getting credit for passing it next year. "If it (passage) doesn't happen this year, you're putting the success of the restoration at risk." … The House could vote on the Everglades bill next week, as members prepare to recess for the November elections. Struhs reportedly headed to Washington, D.C., Friday to lobby for the bill.
Copyright © 2000 Herald Tribune All rights reserved.
04-Oct-00
Editorial: A job before recess
After decades of waiting, the clock is ticking on legislation intended to provide relief to the troubled Everglades. As Congress rushes to adjourn Friday for its election-season recess, a Senate-approved bill to restore the Everglades awaits House action. Whether the House can debate and act quickly on such a massive
undertaking -- the largest environmental-restoration project in U.S. history -- depends on whether legislative leaders are committed to the project. … That worthy goal deserves the House's support - before recess.
Copyright © 2000 Herald Tribune All rights reserved.
03-Oct-00
NY Times Editorial: Congressional Dos and Don'ts
Congress is planning to adjourn in two weeks.. Before it leaves, it ought to pass some important legislation that should not be allowed to spill over into a new administration and a new Congress next year, thus robbing the bills of legislative momentum. ... The Everglades. A bill authorizing a 20-year, $7.8 billion program to rescue the South Florida ecosystem was approved last week by the Senate with only one dissenting vote. The only remaining obstacle is the House, where a similar measure is attached to a water resources bill that is bogged down in unrelated partisan disputes. If necessary, the House should pass a free-standing bill that could then be melded with the Senate's. The Everglades restoration measure is the result of seven years of work by the administration, conservationists and other stakeholders, and it would be unthinkable to lose it this late in the game.
Copyright © 2000 NY Times online All rights reserved.
02-Oct-00
LITTLE BOY BLU: Blu Skinner, 12, lives with his family in the swampland east of Bonita Springs. The federal government is in the process of buying the land in the area in order to flood it and return it to its natural state. Fairness issues could cloud east Bonita land buy
Out in east Bonita Springs, there's a quiet struggle going on. To the people on the front line, it’s about government ripping off the little guy and taxpayers’ money being wasted. It’s a battle between rich and poor. To the water managers trying to build a better Southwest Florida, it is an important project that will reduce flooding, help ailing groundwater levels and preserve a piece of Southwest Florida’s shrinking open lands. This is the South Florida Water Management District’s Southern CREW Project, where 4,670 acres are being bought east of Bonita Grande Drive and north of Bonita Beach Road. The gated communities to the south side — literally across the road from the project area — will have a better view. They’ll see a preserve instead of mobile homes. Residents downstream along the Imperial River will experience a little less flooding. The water supply for people throughout south Lee County might be boosted as more water will be allowed to sit in the area and percolate into aquifers, which were at record lows this year. But to get all this, some 40 families will lose their homes, and another 200 will be displaced from the Manna Christian Mission RV Park. Is it right?
Copyright © 2000 SW Florida News Press All rights reserved.
Press Releases/News media
30-Oct-00
Nathaniel Reed & Aaron Higer Honored
On October 30, 2000, Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior, presented the
Conservation Service Award to former Assistant to the Secretary of Interior,
Nathaniel Reed. The Conservation Service Award is granted to individuals who
are not employed by the Department of the Interior, but who have performed
outstanding service to the Department of the Interior. It is the highest
honor that can be bestowed upon a private citizen by the Secretary.
Babbitt also presented a Distinguished Service Award to Aaron Higer, Senior
Scientist, with the U.S. Geological Survey. (Higer has an office at the
District, in the Environmental Montoring & Assessment Division.) The
Distinguished Service Award is the highest honorary recognition an employee
can receive within the Department of the Interior. It is granted for an
outstanding contribution to science, an outstanding skill or ability in the
performance of duty, and for outstanding contributions made during an
eminent career with the Department. Recipients receive a special certificate
and citation signed by the Secretary, along with an engraved gold
Distinguished Service metal and gold lapel pin.
South Florida Water Management District
Currents weekly e-newsletter, 11/2/00
19-Oct-00
SUGAR FARMERS HAIL HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP
AS EVERGLADES LEGISLATION PASSES HOUSE
CLEWISTON, FLORIDA – October 19, 2000 – United States Sugar Corporation
applauds both the bipartisan effort in the House and Senate and the spirit
of cooperation between state and federal government, business interests,
farmers and environmental organizations in passing this historic Everglades
legislation.
Sugar farmers, as part of a strong coalition of South Florida business
interests, public utilities, and farming organizations joined forces with
Florida’s Governor and Congressional delegation to push for last minute
passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000. Working with state
and national environmental groups, the coalition was part of a similar
bipartisan effort in the Senate, working to gain support for the language
in the WRDA bill that passed by an overwhelming margin.
"The passage of this legislation is the result of growing cooperation among
all the stakeholders to resolve issues and find compromise on matters that
are important to everyone. We are proud to be a part of this historic
partnership," said Robert A. Dolson, President and CEO.
In addition, sugar farmers supported a strong bipartisan effort in
Tallahassee earlier this year led by Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida
Legislature to reaffirm Florida’s commitment and secure the state’s share
of funding for Everglades restoration.
"The spirit of cooperation over the last three to four years was very
important in getting to this point, and will be even more important as we
move forward. We look forward to more of the same," Dolson said.
http://www.ussugar.com/news/1019everglades.html
A separate item:
Streaming video (Quick Time plug in required)
http://www.ussugar.com/environment/download.htm#qteverglades
(source page: http://www.ussugar.com/environment/enviro.htm )
10-Oct-00
Senate Confirms Maj. Gen. Robert B. Flowers as Chief of Engineers
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Office of Chief Engineer
News Release
October 10. 2000
On Oct. 6, 2000, the U.S. Senate confirmed Maj. Gen. Robert B. Flowers for
appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as the Chief
of Engineers/Commanding General, United States Army Corps of Engineers,
Washington, DC. Maj. Gen. Flowers will become the 50th Chief of Engineers in
an Assumption of Command, planned for Oct. 23.
The Chief of Engineers occupies a unique position as a senior member of the
Army Staff and as commander of a major Army command. He has Army Staff
responsibility for engineering, housing, construction, real property,
natural resources, and environmental programs for Department of Army. He
also provides advice and assistance on military engineering and topographic
matters.
As a major commander, the Chief of Engineers directs an organization of more
than 500 military and approximately 37,000 civilian members with an annual
program exceeding $10 billion. Major missions include military facilities
construction for the Army and Air Force; environmental restoration of
current and former defense installations; and the Army's civil works
program.
The Corps of Engineers also provides engineering assistance following
natural disasters, regulates work in the nation's waterways and wetlands,
conducts research and development, serves as the Army and Air Force real
estate agent, and provides engineering services to 60 other federal
agencies.
Most recently, Maj. Gen. Flowers served as the commanding general of the
U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center and Fort Leonard Wood and commandant of the U.S. Army Engineer School at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Previous assignments include Commander of Mississippi Valley Division, Army Corps of Engineers; Assistant Division Commander, 2nd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Korea; Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Engineer Center, and Assistant
Commandant, U.S. Army Engineer School, Fort Leonard Wood; Commander, 20th Engineer Brigade (Combat) (Airborne Corps), Fort Bragg, N.C.; and other
command and staff positions.
Maj. Gen. Flowers graduated from the Virginia Military Institute and was
commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1969. He then completed ranger and
airborne training. His civilian and military education includes a master's
degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia, the Engineer
Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff College, and the
National War College. Flowers is a registered professional engineer in
Virginia.
George W. Bush presidential campaign website
Al Gore presidential campaign website• League of Conservation Voters
• Cheney Pick Means Double Trouble for the Environment
• George W. Bush Environmental Updates
• Al Gore Environmental Updates
• Alan Keyes Environmental Updates
H.R. 2372, Rep. Canady's [R-FL] "Private Property Rights Implementation Act" (TAKINGS BILL) will be MARKED-UP and VOTED on by the Full HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8 and is likely to come to the Floor of the full House of Representatives the following week.
New Bills
Senate action:
9/26/00 - Glades restoration project approved
9/24/00 - Canady takings bill rejected
• Congress to Prepare Everglades Restoration Bill
Copyright © 2000 Everglades Conservation Network All rights reserved. Posted 01-Jun-00
• Search Thomas
Congressional Testimony
• Subcommittee on Water Resources & Environment
01-Mar-00
• Hearings & Testimony: Restoration of the Everglades and South Florida Ecosystem
Regulations
Case Law
Law Review Articles
Reports
01-Sept-00
2001 EVERGLADES CONSOLIDATED REPORT
Draft ready for review
South Florida Water Management District
The Everglades Reports summarize available data and findings from research
and monitoring of the Everglades Protection Area, and will be used by the
South Florida Water Management District and Florida Department of
Environmental Protection for making decisions affecting implementation of
the Everglades Construction Project and related activities.
The Reports have been produced pursuant to the Everglades Forever Act
(Section 373.4592(4)(d) Florida Statutes), which requires the District to
submit a report to state officials after conducting a scientific peer
review. Information from the Everglades Reports will be updated annually
beginning in January 1, 2000 in peer-reviewed reports also required under
the Act. These reports represent an important step in the process of
reviewing technical information on the Everglades Protection Area and
communicating progress on Everglades research and monitoring.
SFWMD
• SFWMD Everglades Reports Home
• Download from ftp server (pdf documents)
• View / Download the draft report on-line (pdf)
• Peer Review of the 2001 Everglades Consolidated Report
• Public Workshops AGENDA
• WebBoard Conferencing
• Previous Reports (pdf)
31-Jul-00
COORDINATING
SUCCESS:
Strategy
for Restoration of the South Florida Ecosystem
(PDF documents)
The purpose of this document is to describe the existing federal and nonfederal programs
This document provides the information needed to coordinate and integrate the restoration effort. Congress identified four elements to be included in this document. They wanted it to outline how the restoration effort will occur, identify the resources needed, establish responsibility for accomplishing actions, and link the strategic goals established by the participants to out-come-oriented goals (see appendix A). This document describes how the restoration effort is being coordinated: The task force members have agreed upon a vision for the results; they have established three broad goals and measurable objectives for the work that needs to be accomplished to achieve that vision; they have identified the projects needed to achieve the objectives; they are coordinating those projects so that they are mutually supportive and nonduplicative; and they are tracking progress toward both the work-oriented goals and the results-oriented vision. This strategy, along with the vision, goals, objectives, performance measures, and individual project data (including cost, responsible agency, and targeted completion dates) are all included in this document.
This strategy document is for planning purposes only, is subject to modification, and is not legally binding on any of the task force members. Each task force member and the interests they represent retain all of their sovereign rights, authorities, and jurisdiction for implementation of the projects contained within this document.
Published by: SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION TASK FORCE
"Natural Resource Year in Review - 1999."
The fourth annual "Year in Review" report summarizes and analyzes significant natural resource preservation issues and trends in the national park system for the calendar year 1999. Organized in seven chapters that address innovations in the development and use of legal, administrative and technological tools for managing park natural resources The highlight for the year was the planning and initial implementation of the Natural Resource Challenge, a commitment to increase the use of science in park management. The 1999 report is too be available soon. Reports for 1996, 1997 and 1998 are also posted here.
National Park Service
• Natural Resource Publications: Books, reports and newsletters
06-00
(39 pages, pdf format, 2.95 MB)This report summarizes the processes that led to the formation of the Everglades over 5000 years. The information underlying this summary was obtained from a survey of historical reports, data from measurements of peat and sediment cores, and flow modeling using the South Florida Water Management District's Natural System Model. Available evidence shows that a natural phosphorus-enriched zone existed south of Lake Okeechobee that contained dense growths of pond apple and other upland species and an associated variety of birds and wildlife. This technical report was submitted to the South Florida Water Management District in June 2000
Tetra Tech, Inc. (39 pages, pdf format, 2.95 MB)
• This technical report was prepared by Sujoy B. Roy and Steven A. Gherini, Tetra Tech, Inc., Lafayette, CA. The work described in this report was supported by the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida.
• Abstract (html)
• Email questions to sujoy.roy@tetratech.com
Research
Conferences,
Hearings
• UNEP/GPA News Forum
United Nations Environment Programme
A News and Information Service of the Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based ActivitiesEducation site
Only one in three adult Americans has a passing understanding of our most pressing environmental issues. National Environmental Education and Training Foundation
• League of Conservation voters, Presidential profiles
New section on Cheney's record (07-24-00)
Political analysis of Presidential candidates' environmental platform
• Everglades Restoration Plan
Comprehensive site dedicated to educating the public about the restoration plan
•
Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division
(DMRD)
The controversy surrounding dihydrogen monoxide has never been more widely debated, and the goal of this
site is to provide an unbiased data clearinghouse and a forum for public discussion. The success of this site depends on you, the citizen concerned
about Dihydrogen Monoxide. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
http://www.dhmo.org/
•
Living on Earth,
10/26/00
http://www.loe.org/thisweek/highlight.htm#1
2000 Presidential Profiles
[Sen. Smith]--We can only achieve environmental progress through working together in bipartisan action. ...in my committee on the Environment and Public Works, I worked in a bipartisan fashion with the Democrats to craft an Everglades bill. ... Political opponents will always try to paint a negative picture, but the bottom line is simple: the environment in Texas, under the leadership of George W. Bush, is cleaner and healthier than it• League of Conservation Voters
• George W. Bush Environmental Updates
• Al Gore Environmental Updates
• Cheney Pick Means Double Trouble for the Environment
• Vote Gore Commentary by Carl Pope, Sierra Club and Vote
Bush Commentary by Senator Bob Smith
was the day he took office.
Credit:
Everglades photograph courtesy Philip Greenspun
Everglades Litigation Curator
1311 Miller Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
(305) 284-4093
All Rights Reserved.
Requests for information
Send comments / technical feedback.