EVERGLADES ACTION ALERT FOR READERS: TODAY ... by Alan Farago

Rick Scott's top water manager sent a letter to Miami-Dade Commissioners trying to defeat a resolution by Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava to buy sugar land to store and clean water for the Everglades. The vote is THIS MORNING, so call and email commissioners now.

1) Call these commissioners now:

Commissioner Bruno Barriero  305–643–8525 or 305–673–7743

Commissioner Rebeca Sosa  305–375–5696 or 305–267–6377

Commissioner Dennis Moss  305–375–4832 or 305–234–4938 or 305–245–4420

2) Send just one email to all Miami-Dade commissioners and staff at this address: bocc-ccs@miamidade.gov with the following message or similar:

Subject: Please support Everglades Reservoir reso: 11(A)(16)

Dear Commissioner,

Please vote for Commissioner Daniella Levine-Cava's Resolution 11(A)(16) supporting a reservoir in the Everglades Agricultural Area to restore the River of Grass and protect Florida's coasts. The people of Miami-Dade County must have a healthy, functioning Everglades and passing this resolution is essential to reaching that goal.

Sincerely,

[your name, address and phone number]

3) Come to the County Commission and sign up by 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday Dec. 5 to speak in favor of reso., Stephen P Clark Government Center, 111 NW First Street, Suite 1034. Miami, FL 33128

Here is the text of the letter I sent to the BCC:

Dear County Commissioners,

Please vote for Commissioner Daniella Levine-Cava's Resolution 11(A)(16) supporting a reservoir in the Everglades Agricultural Area to restore the River of Grass and protect Florida's coasts. The people of Miami-Dade County must have a healthy, functioning Everglades and passing this resolution is essential to reaching that goal.

In the past, the Miami-Dade County Commission has taken important steps to advocate for additional water storage to protect our badly damaged Everglades, incorporating lands within Miami-Dade County borders.

Without significant additional water storage, Everglades restoration will remain a distant dream. Moreover, as sea levels rise and pressure our own drinking water supplies, the only cost-effective hedge for taxpayers is to ensure that copious amounts of clean, fresh water continue to be available from the region below Lake Okeechobee.

The best solution to our water infrastructure problems has ALWAYS been to significantly increase water storage in the EAA. It is also the case that better, and higher-paying jobs will be available to local, affected communities once the economic infrastructure is organized to take advantage of tourism-related, small businesses that can regenerate some of the poorest communities in Florida.

Lastly, the money for land purchase is available. The state legislature is now taking up the proposal by Senate president Joe Negron to buy lands now in sugar production with Amendment 1 moneys. Your affirmative vote today will send a clear message of support for a win-win for Floridians.

Let’s get moving now.

Sincerely,

Alan Farago, Conservation Chair
Friends of the Everglades