By tcpalm.com: Florida lawmakers are halfway through the 2015 legislative session.
They still haven’t gotten the message.
Treasure Coast residents need to get their attention and compel them to action.
Time is running out for state officials to exercise an option and purchase U.S. Sugar Corp. land south of Lake Okeechobee. This is the most viable alternative to dramatically reduce discharges of polluted water from the lake into the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon.
Sadly, earmarking funds for the purchase — at least $350 million — appears to be little more than an afterthought in Tallahassee.
Here’s all you need to know about where the issue stands: Both the Senate and House approved budgets last week that fail to include allocations to buy 46,800 acres of U.S. Sugar Corp. land. The land includes a 26,100-acre parcel that could be used to build a reservoir to hold excess lake water before it is cleaned and sent south to the Everglades.
If the reservoir were constructed in the Everglades Agricultural Area, it would reduce the volume of damaging releases to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries by about 55 percent.
Port St. Lucie resident Tom Ellis called Treasure Coast Newspapers Thursday to voice his frustration with our elected officials.
“We have the opportunity to purchase this land, but the powers that be — the politicians — are blocking it,” Ellis said. “I’m so sick of politicians not doing the right thing. They are in Big Sugar’s back pocket. Let’s get this done.”
Do you share Ellis’ frustration and passion?
If so, tell the members of the Treasure Coast legislative delegation it’s time to act.
Florida voters provided a funding source for the land purchase in November, when 75 percent of them approved Amendment 1, a citizen initiative known as the Water and Land Legacy constitutional amendment. State officials expect it to generate $750 million in documentary stamp revenue in its first year.
The ballot language for Amendment 1 specifically referred to buying land in the Everglades Agricultural Area.
The option to purchase the land expires Oct. 1. However, lawmakers need to allocate the money before the 60-day session ends on May 1.
Florida lawmakers have a historic opportunity to reconnect the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee — and significantly reduce discharges into our river, lagoon and estuary.
Let them know anything short of this objective is unacceptable.
You can use our email letter form to send a message to lawmakers here: https://theguardiansofmartincounty.com/take-back-amendment-1/
Read the story online:
http://www.tcpalm.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-florida-lawmakers-still-havent-gotten-message-on-moving-lake-o-water-south_60426255