Top Water Lobbyist, Ernie Barnett, Resigns from SFWMD

The South Florida Water Management Districts top lobbyist announced his retirement at the agencys governing board meeting Thursday.

Ernie Barnett, the SFWMDs assistant executive director and head of its mammoth Everglades and water resources initiatives, has been with the district since 2005. He was instrumental in Tallahassee this year helping legislators understand Gov. Rick Scotts Everglades Restoration Strategies and its implications for settling challenges by the federal government.

Barnett also led previous efforts for the states passage of the Lake Okeechobee Protection Act, according to the SFWMD. Beyond Tallahassee, he has aided state Everglades efforts in D.C. by lobbying for adoption of the federal water bill -- Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) 2000 -- that authorized the first major Everglades blueprint, called the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).

Recently, after the resignation of Executive Director Melissa Meeker, Barnett stepped in as interim director and helped transition the agency to its new full-time Executive Director Blake Guillory.

Barnett is expected to enter the private sector and alluded to the fact he would still have a presence in Tallahassee next year.

He will stay with the district until Jan. 1.