Recently, a minor change to the business agenda of the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board’s monthly meeting streamlined protocols for public comment. Previously, public comment was heard on each and every agenda item. Public comment continues to be welcomed on all voting items before the board. Comment on general topics and non-voting issues is now heard separately, with the same three-minute time limit that applies to all speakers.
Outrage was the reaction by the small number of paid lobbyists who regularly attend board meetings. They angrily criticized the board for limiting their available time for promoting again and again -- via open webcast, at taxpayer expense -- the narrative set by their advocacy organizations.
Further, it was disappointing to read a newspaper article the next day describing such selfless and tireless lobbyists who travel to board meetings each month and bear this burden to get their points across and help the public. Their coverage in the news article implied that they are somehow being persecuted and that the board is somehow taking away a civil right.
I don’t think so.
Instead, I was outraged, too -- about space allotted in a newspaper for yet another trite, misguided article about the South Florida Water Management District.
I have seen too many newspaper articles that advance an agenda set by a few elite environmental organizations without the thoroughness of fact checking and balanced coverage that responsible journalism demands.
For example, in August, the Governing Board recognized Everglades Agricultural Area farmers for 20 years of improved management practices that successfully reduced phosphorus by 79 percent this past year and averaged 56 percent over 20 years, far and above the mandated requirement of 25 percent. Newspaper coverage the next day quoted some of the lobbyists and stated that farmers were still not in compliance. That is an outright lie.
Also, where is media coverage about projects being completed by the District under the leadership of Gov. Rick Scott? A good example is the A-1 Flow Equalization Basin, a project that doesn’t fit the narrative pushed to the public in news articles at the constant urging of the environmental elites.
Construction of a deep-water reservoir at the A-1 site came to a halt as part of the boondoggle U.S. Sugar acquisition in 2008. Governor Scott, as part of his commitment to Everglades water quality, revamped the project into what is now known as the A-1 Flow Equalization Basin. It recently became the first Restoration Strategies project completed, even coming in under budget and well before the projected finish date.
I can’t help asking where the headlines were about millions of taxpayer dollars saved by streamlining the project and tackling Everglades Restoration in a more fiscally prudent and comprehensive way? Where were the news stories about the significant strides toward Everglades Restoration being made by this governor’s administration?
They were absent because the truth doesn’t fit the intended, biased narrative. That is not good for the public, and I welcome public comment on that anytime.
Melanie Peterson is a member of the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board.
