NYTimes: A Good Deal for the Everglades
by Michael C. Bender | March 17th, 2010From the New York Times editorial board this morning:
Some environmentalists complained that Mr. Crist paid too much and that the cost of the deal would crowd out other restoration projects.
But some of those projects — a string of underground storage wells, for instance — made little sense to begin with and none are as important as the land deal. The payout to United States Sugar and some other aspects of the deal seem excessive. But the agency can negotiate the price downward or cancel the arrangement if United States Sugar refuses to bargain or if the economy keeps tanking and the deal becomes unaffordable.
What the taxpayers need to remember is that this is a very good deal for the environment. Without an ample supply of clean, fresh water, the Everglades will never be restored to anything approaching their former vitality.
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March 17th, 2010 at 8:29 am
If SFWMD really wanted to do some good for the everglades they would buy up land to the north of the lake along taylor creek, fisheating creek, and the kissimmee river. Look at the scientific data, a lot of the pollution comes from the north of the lake.
March 17th, 2010 at 8:36 am
What the public needs to know is that it is NOT all of the taxpayers who will get to pay for the “crist’s folly” multimillion deal, but the taxpayers of the 16 counties of the South Florida Water Management area. The SFWM board members were hand picked by crist to arrange and approve of this under the table deal with U.S. Sugar. Their top administration will get their solid gold parachutes from this deal, tens of thousands of workers will be without a job, thousands more will be indirectly effected by this. If any of the SFWMB members voiced any opposition to this deal, they were removed from the board, and their seat was never filled, even though there were worthy candidates to choose from. WHAT A FARCE!!!!!!The Everglades National Park is a NATIONAL park, the water flows from north Florida, but the pollution in Lake Okeechobee is blamed on the farmers from the Glades. crist will do ANYTHING to get elected to be the people’s senator!!!! May God help us if this ever happens!
March 17th, 2010 at 8:56 am
Wow, this is a completely different tone coming from the NY Times. The Times published a lengthy investigative article on March 7 that ripped the deal as being overpriced, benefitting only US Sugar and its cronies, and possibly having the net effect of actually setting back Everglades restoration instead of advancing it. I understand this an op-ed piece, but still, the contrast from the March 7 article is quite startling.
March 17th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Who cares what the NY Times says? They don’t live here and pay the taxes.
People are fleeing NY to get away from the high taxation. Businesses are moving.
NY needs to take care of NY; Floridians need to take care of Florida.
Sick of these ‘know-it-alls’ from other places telling others what they should do, think, act.
March 17th, 2010 at 9:26 am
The water flows from the north to the south.
Why isn’t Georgia being held responsible for the water, pollutants they send this way?
The Corp of Engineers put in the canals. Why aren’t they being held responsible for their lousy work?
Lisa Jackson, Obama’s EPA director, was here in South Florida trying to ‘settle’ a lawsuit brought by the enviro-nazi. The result: Floridians will have to ante-up $75 BILLION dollars to fix the ‘water’ problem.
Well, the water problem starts further up in the state above us. We don’t generate water, mother nature does. Water also flows from other state into Florida.
Either way Floridians will pay. Pay to fight the lawsuit (guess what greedy people will get paid: lawyers!) or pay up in ‘water’ improvements.
Time to vote out DEMONcRATS. They are the ones socking it to the public. And time for TORT REFORM.
One can almost bet the lawyers initiate the lawsuit cause they see taxpayers footing their income.
TAX lawyers MORE!
March 17th, 2010 at 9:43 am
#3 – The NY times apparently didn’t know how well connected all the crooked players in this deal really is! I’m always amazed at the power these crooks have over the media. I guess this is the end. US voters and taxpayers face this corruption daily. Like right now in front of God and everbody, extortion for healthcare votes is OK. So, Crist extortion for Seminole gambling and his sweet sugar scam must be OK too.
March 17th, 2010 at 9:49 am
God people are dumb. Nick is the only responder who understands the dynamics of the Kissimee River Basin/Lake Okeechobee/Everglades/Florida Bay water flow and how this land purchase and restoration is a must to restore it. The Kissimmee River is already being restored, the lake looks better than it has in years and if these deal actually happens water will once again be filtered as it heads south out of the lake and through the glades and into Florida Bay. I only hope I/we live long enough to see it happen.
Oh, and Rick, in which direction does water flow in the St. John’s river?
Peace
March 17th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Who cares what the carpetbaggers say??!! They are the ones who got us into this mess in the first place. I think we should deport them all back tp ny,and close off the bridges and tunnels,making them one way,in only!!!
March 17th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Who cares what the carpetbaggers say??!! They are the ones who got us into this mess in the first place. I think we should deport them all back to ny,and close off the bridges and tunnels,making them one way,in only!!!
March 17th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
#7 – You ain’t got no patent on being a Fl Cracker, I am one also. I for one certainly don’t mind saving the Everglades. My problem is I don’t want to save every crooked friend Crist has made along with this deal. And, the St Johns River flow north because, Georgia Sucks!
April 11th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Funny how these columns always turn into arguments.