{"id":699,"date":"2019-01-30T19:24:31","date_gmt":"2019-01-31T00:24:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/conservation\/?p=699"},"modified":"2019-01-30T19:24:31","modified_gmt":"2019-01-31T00:24:31","slug":"sierra-responds-to-desantis-environmental-proposals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/?p=699","title":{"rendered":"Sierra Responds To DeSantis Environmental Proposals"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:black; font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt\">Frank Jackalone, Florida Sierra&#8217;s Director, issued the following response to Gov. Ron DeSantis&#8217; announcement at a press conference in Naples this week.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"background: white\">\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:black; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><strong>1)\u00a0 \u00a0&#8220;$360 Million for Everglades Restoration&#8221;\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">What is the source of funding for this large allocation for Everglades Restoration?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">What are the 20 Everglades projects that would be funded?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:10pt\">From the text, it appears that Governor DeSantis wants to speed up construction of\u00a0 the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir based on the current design which is highly flawed;\u00a0 it is too high at 23 feet and doesn&#8217;t have the land needed to clean the reservoir&#8217;s water before it is released to the Everglades.\u00a0 He should ask water managers to pause to redesign it, which would allow for the use of Amendment 1 funds to acquire and manage land needed to build a shallower, less expensive reservoir.\u00a0\u00a0<br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:10pt\">We are concerned\u00a0from the comments on reducing discharges and updating the Lake Okeechobee Release Schedule (LORS)\u00a0that the Governor may be looking towards a higher water level which would be harmful to the Lake&#8217;s ecology.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:10pt\">We are happy that Governor DeSantis wants to speed up construction of Tamiami Trail bridging.\u00a0 \u00a0<br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:black; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><strong>2)\u00a0 \u00a0&#8220;$150 Million for Targeted Water Quality Improvements&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">We like the $150 million from General Revenue for targeted water quality improvements.\u00a0 However, the current system of Basin Management Action Plans, TMDLs, and MFLs is not working the way it could and should.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">We need more stringent, more protective BMAPs, TMDLs, and MFLs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Where is the regulation we were promised to stop pollution at its source?<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:black; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><strong>3)\u00a0 \u00a0&#8220;$50 Million to Restore Florida&#8217;s World-Renowned Springs&#8221;\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Springs have already been getting a measly $50 million since the 2016 Legacy Act.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">$360 million vs. $50 million is an unfair split.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Springshed protection is drinking water protection to and deserves a higher level of attention.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Sierra Club calls for equal spending of land acquisition funds between South Florida, including the Everglades, and North Florida, including our Springs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:black; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><strong>4)\u00a0 \u00a0&#8220;$25 Million to Improve Water Quality and Combat Harmful Algal Blooms&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Governor DeSantis would be wise to avoid Red Tide Rick Scott&#8217;s folly of funding studies, control and mitigation AFTER the algae blooms wreak havoc.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">We support increased harmful algae monitoring, but hope that his mitigation funding for innovative technologies isn&#8217;t the same as Scott&#8217;s plan to spread Chinese clay on the Gulf.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"background: white\">\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:black; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><strong>5)\u00a0 \u00a0&#8220;$40 Million for Alternative Water Supply Development&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">More details are needed on the Governor&#8217;s alternative water supply line item.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">It is good to see the $40 million proposed for alternative water supply would come from general revenue funds.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Where is the conservation of water supply?\u00a0 Until consumptive use is more strictly monitored, regulated, and reduced Florida will remain in water supply jeopardy.<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"background: white\">\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:black; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><strong>6)\u00a0 \u00a0&#8220;Transfer of 19 Positions from FWC to DEP&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Sierra Club Florida needs to study Governor DeSantis&#8217; proposal to transfer environmental crimes enforcement to DEP and has no comment at this time.<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"background: white\">\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"background: white\"><span style=\"color:#26282a; font-size:10pt\"><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Finally, we need to ask:\u00a0 \u00a0<strong>Will there be any funds left over for the Florida Forever and Rural Family Lands programs?<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0We hope to learn the answer to those questions when the Governor releases his full environmental budget on Friday.<\/span><span style=\"font-family:Helvetica\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Frank Jackalone, Florida Sierra&#8217;s Director, issued the following response to Gov. Ron DeSantis&#8217; announcement at a press conference in Naples this week. \u00a0 1)\u00a0 \u00a0&#8220;$360 Million for Everglades Restoration&#8221;\u00a0 \u00a0 What is the source of funding for this large allocation for Everglades Restoration?\u00a0\u00a0 What are the 20 Everglades projects that would be funded?\u00a0\u00a0 From the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gci"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=699"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":700,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699\/revisions\/700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ancientislands.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}