By Christine Stapleton

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Will the Everglades ever be restored to its natural splendor? Among The Miami Herald's editorial priorities is the protection of the area's natural resources, especially the River of Grass, and ensuring Miami-Dade County's urban development boundary, or UDB, stays put unless there's sufficient growth to require construction in the far west portions of the county that border on the Glades.

Similarly, Biscayne Bay remains a jewel that warrants protection in the midst of the Port of Miami's port-tunnel construction and deep dredge plans - both important projects that will rev up South Florida's economy. Today we look back at this year's environmental battles to prepare for 2012.

Sadly, in the case of the Everglades, commitment - especially from the state level - has been missing in the fight to preserve this national treasure. Earlier this year, Gov. Rick Scott vetoed $615 million in projects that he called "shortsighted, frivolous, wasteful spending."

What's alarming is that more than half of the funds vetoed would have been used to buy land to help clean up the Everglades after decades of abuse. Remember, this battle started back in 1988.

Protecting the River of Grass is not a frivolity. The Everglades is a life-sustaining system that supports wildlife, generates tourism revenue and recreation and provides us with drinking water through Lake Okeechobee.

The governor signed a bill that took an ax to the South Florida Water Management District's funding, cutting it by 30 percent. Mr. Scott called it a "tax cut" yet the savings for most property owners was minuscule. Busting the district's budget was a foolhardy move, for it cut into its ability to provide high-quality water-management services, better regulating, for instance, the cycle of drought-flood-drought-flood that plagues our region.

The state's long-delayed plans to reduce the flow of phosphorus, a debilitating nutrient that runs off of farms after it rains, is still stalled. The feds don't think the state's curtailed proposal goes far enough. The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a huge expansion of artificial marshes that would clean phosphorous from water flowing into the Everglades. The governor's plan scales it way back and adds another two years to the 2020 deadline. Add to that the lack of restrictions on fertilizer use and the 10-year delay imposed by the state under a previous administration, and it's clear there's lack of serious commitment to this most vital resource.

Hold the line

In an astonishing move this month, the Miami-Dade Commission staged yet another assault on the Urban Development Boundary - which holds the line between development in the westernmost part of the county and the Everglades.

The Ferro Investment Group again is seeking to move the line farther west - and a majority of the commission, unfortunately, agreed to send the application up to the state for review.

The community has fought this battle before and, in holding the line, emerged the winner in the fight against rampant growth. This time, Ferro's request comes amid a changed dynamic - changed for the worse. A new state law, with Gov. Scott's blessing, severely waters down Florida's 25-year-old growth-management regulations, giving counties and municipalities greater freedom to amend their local comprehensive development plans that were put in place to control sprawl.

Despite the loosening of the reins, Miami-Dade County - and the Everglades - cannot afford to lose the fight to contain runaway growth.

Biscayne Bay

Though the governor's environmental bona fides leave something to be desired, he made the economic vitality of South Florida, indeed the state, a priority when he secured $77 million from the Legislature for the dredging project at the Port of Miami. He was right to get behind this project.

When combined with the construction of the port tunnel and the Florida East Coast rail link, the dredging will generate well-paying jobs and revenue when super-container ships from the Panama Canal are able to berth here.

But these projects, which will include blasting, will put Biscayne Bay under tremendous stress and pressure. It's home to manatees and unique coral; it has abundant sea life and is a recreational attraction for boaters and a place for fishermen to net shrimp and lobster or to coax snapper and grouper onto a hook. Its value to this community is clear.

Environmentalists have followed through on their threats to challenge the project, filing a petition with the state in late November. It is under review by the Department of Environmental Protection and is expected to delay final permitting for the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed.

Clearly, the tug of war between our natural resources and commerce this year has already set the stage for more of the same in the next. Progress demands that both be balanced for the community's best interests. We will continue to challenge those who offer short cuts and quick fixes in the name of economic development that ignore Florida's environmental treasures.

 

  

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Standing Strong for the Everglades

Working to save our Florida beaches, shores, and coastal environment through research, advocacy, and direct citizen action.

Risks Outweigh Benefits of Drilling

As the debate continues over the potential of allowing offshore drilling in Florida's state-controlled waters, which extend 3 miles into the Atlantic Ocean and 10 miles into the Gulf of Mexico, it is important that the public be made aware of not only the environmental consequences of offshore drilling, but also potential economic implications.

These pocketbook issues tend to be a driving force behind voter opinion on the subject, so it is important for us to ensure the public is well-informed. Here we have laid out some of the basic facts about Florida's economy as well as the economic potential (both 'positive' and negative) from allowing drilling rigs near our shores.

Based on these findings, we can say with absolute confidence that the risk of damaging Florida's tourism and fisheries far outweighs any value that could be gained by lifting the current moratorium banning exploration and drilling in our state waters.