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In February, Vice President Al Gore announced a historic and
comprehensive government plan to restore the Everglades, south
Florida's premier ecosystem, by forging a partnership with the state
government and the regional sugar industry. Everglades activists are
excited by the plan's intentions, but are looking for a stronger
commitment from the region's biggest polluter-- and an enforceable
guarantee.
The plan would increase federal funding of water and land management
programs, create an Everglades Restoration Fund, accelerate restoration
projects and commit to water quality standards that will protect the
Everglades and Florida Bay. It also calls for the expansion of
Everglades National Park, the creation of buffer zones and the
selective acquisition of agricultural acreage to be used for water
storage and other hydrological enhancements.
Most significantly, Gore said that those who had benefited so long from
public investment -- and have been largely responsible for the
Everglades' environmental degradation -- would share the costs of
restoration. Gore asked that the sugar industry contribute "its fair
share" to the $1.5 billion, seven-year plan by putting "a penny a
pound" toward enhancing water quality and restoring the environmental
health of the region.
But environmentalists are concerned that the administration's proposed
tax lets the industry off the hook and would require taxpayers and
south Florida residents to carry the burden. "The Everglades Committee
fully supports every component of the program, except the per-pound
tax," said Craig Diamond, Florida Chapter Everglades issues chair. "Big
Sugar wanted to contribute nothing while we sought a two-cent levy to
do the restoration job right, so the penny per pound represents a
compromise that the industry is sure to fight -- just as they've fought
to maintain price supports.
"It's great to have the backing of the administration," added Diamond,
"but many of these actions still have to be approved and funded by a
Congress that hasn't made environmental protection a priority. The plan
looks impressive, but the question remains, When?"
To take action: Urge your congressional representative to insist that
the sugar program be put to a floor vote during final votes on the Farm
Bill. Ask them to also provide full and prompt funding for each element
of the administration's plan. Remind them that the health of the
Everglades is not a partisan issue.
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