Not everybody readily understood why Gov. Rick Scott chose Clewiston, a farming community in the heart of the EAA, as the stage for Friday's ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 10.
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, a former mayor of Sewall's Point, wrote this in her blog of Scott's decision to celebrate the reservoir in farm country: "Although I am scratching my head, you know what? Sometimes you just have to be happy for what you get, no matter where you get it. I am tremendously thankful to Governor Scott for signing the bill -- although I do wish he had decided to sign it in Martin County since we’ve worked so hard to get it."
Over the last several weeks, Scott has bonded with Glades farmers who fought to keep their towns and their lifestyle whole -- and who live in the shadow of the deteriorating Herbert Hoover Dike. It's a part of the Everglades' infrastructure he remains determined to put on a fast track toward reconstruction.
Before the bill signing, Scott toured Lake Okeechobee. Coastal supporters have been fighting since 2013 for a bill that would result in a reservoir south of the lake to relieve their rivers of damaging, algae-producing lake discharges. SB 10 authorizes the construction of such a reservoir.
It was Scott who forced the last of three bill rewrites, warning he would not sign any legislation that took farmlands out of production, but would use property the state already owns to create a reservoir with a much smaller footprint than the 60,000 acres in the original bill.
In his remarks, Scott said, "To have the opportunity to sign SB 10 and focus on how we are going to get storage south of the lake -- that’s a big deal and long term, it is going to be a big opportunity. But every day we have to think what we are going to do next -- that’s why it’s very important to me that we get the [Herbert Hoover] Dike fixed.”
The governor actually signed SB 10 earlier in the week. Friday was for posterity.
And to show the world, particularly the Florida Legislature, he is committed to dike rehab -- and it remains one of his top priorities.
All speakers at the Friday ceremony alluded to the dike, which was no coincidence.
Dan O'Keefe, board chairman of the South Florida Water Management District, began by saying he was "in the presence of a governor, whose vision and dedication and tireless efforts, have done more for Everglades restoration in his six years in office than the prior six administrations combined ... By strongly advocating for the crucial dollars necessary to fix the rehab of the Herbert Hoover Dike, our governor has shown a commitment to protecting the lives of the communities that live in fear of the potential breach and to protect the environment. Once this dike is repaired, we are very optimistic that we will be able to store more water than any other current project that we have on the books. ..."
"We have a governor who has shown he can utilize his relationships and partnerships with not only President Trump, but federal officials at the highest levels of the government," Ryan Matthews, interim secretary of Florida Department of Environmental Protection, said during the ceremony "Because of that, I believe Florida will see increased appropriations, such as money for the [Herbert Hoover] Dike, which is desperately needed. But also, we’ll see appropriations for federal dollars that are needed for that storage east and west of the lake with the C-43 and C-44 [reservoirs]. SB 10 will provide needed storage south of the lake and we will continue to look at comprehensive ways to restore this beautiful ecosystem ..."
Even Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, who spearheaded SB 10 as one of his two top priorities this legislative session, talked of the dike, vowing “... to work with [Governor Scott] and work with our federal partners to make sure that the rehabilitation of the dike around Lake O is done expeditiously, that we expedite it. I had a good phone call this morning with Colonel Kirk about that issue and also about the commitment of the Army Corps of Engineers to work with the South Florida Water Management District and the Legislature as we implement SB 10."
With Rep. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, at his side, Negron went on to thank Scott; Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, who sponsored SB 10 in the Senate; Appropriations Chair Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, who gave the bill its final and perhaps most decisive push; and Rep. Thad Altman, R-Rockledge, sponsor in the House. "I appreciate everything that everyone has done and look forward to this project being completed in a timely manner ...”
Agriculture Commissioner and 2018 candidate for governor Adam Putnam spoke directly to Negron's purpose for SB10 in a statement issued after the ceremony, “Water is Florida’s golden goose, and Senate Bill 10 continues the momentum we’ve been building to better protect the quality and quantity of our water. I commend Governor Scott for his leadership to reduce discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers and to restore the health of the Everglades."
Judy Sanchez, Clewiston-based U.S. Sugar Corp.’s senior director of corporate communications and public affairs, said in a press statement, “Ultimately, U.S. Sugar supported this dramatically improved legislation because it takes essentially no privately owned farmland out of production, removed the threat of eminent domain for the EAA Reservoir and would build on land already in government ownership. Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature recognize the importance of protecting our water resources while also protecting our farming communities and vital local food production.
"We appreciate Governor Scott’s strong support for rural communities south of Lake Okeechobee by advocating for $200 million in funding for expediting repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike. This structure is absolutely critical to protecting all of South Florida, not just the farming communities, from a catastrophic flooding event,” she said.
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith
