Gov. Rick Scott has already taken a leadership role in protection of the Florida Everglades, beyond mere statements, a spokesman said, while a new bipartisan coalition wants the governor to make conserving all of the states natural resources a top priority.
Former Gov. Bob Graham was joined by longtime Republican conservationist Nathaniel Reed of Jupiter Island and Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, in a media conference on the back steps of the Old Capitol on Wednesday to announce the formation of the Florida Conservation Coalition.
The overall focus of the nonprofit group -- which released statements of support from 1000 Friends of Florida, Audubon of Florida, the Sierra Club, and League of Women Voters -- is water quality.
Dockery said a decline in water quality should be viewed as a quality-of-life issue and that any degradation of water standards directly affects our economy.
Graham challenged Scott to lead a bipartisan effort to reverse water protection policies that the two-term governor says legislators have been enacting the past few years.
We need strong gubernatorial leadership to reverse the damage that has been done and to avoid future damage, Graham said.
Scotts spokesman Lane Wright stated in a release that Scott has been doing just that.
He has met multiple times in person and via phone with our partners in Washington to get everyone moving in the same direction and develop a plan to restore the Everglades, Wright stated. He understands a healthy economy is dependent on a healthy environment.
The offices of House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, and Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, did not respond to requests for comment.
Graham said he was encouraged by Scotts Nov. 16 comments before the Everglades Foundation that the restoration of the Everglades will be a top priority of his administration, and an op-ed Scott submitted to the Tampa Tribune that ran on Nov. 28.
In the column, Scott declared that protecting our natural resources through a stable regulatory environment is key to ensuring businesses are successful and future generations will be able to enjoy all that our state has to offer.
Dockery said that in the last seven years, she has watched as fellow legislators have defunded the Water Protection and Sustainability Trust Fund and Florida Forever, while cutting spending to water management districts.
We recognize that in tough economic times ... the environment has to take a hit as well, but we were zero-funded where most agencies were decreased by 10-to-15 percent, Dockery said.
She also called on Scott to take the helm to protect Floridas water supply.
We encourage him and stand ready to help him to be a leader in water, to follow in the footsteps of some of our greatest governors who have made this a priority for the state of Florida, Dockery said.
Reed, who served as assistant secretary of the interior under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and is chairman emeritus of 1000 Friends of Florida, said the group intends to "raise Cain" against the cuts legislators made earlier this year.
The developers paid for and got what they wanted, Reed said. And its a disgrace to the state of Florida.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com, (850) 727-0859, or (772) 215-9889.
