For Immediate Release
Everglades Foundation Reacts to Senate Passage of Reservoir Bill
“A victory by the people of Florida, who put their collective feet down and said, ‘Enough!’”
Palmetto Bay, FL – October 10, 2018 –The Everglades Foundation issued the following statement from its CEO, Eric Eikenberg, on today’s Senate passage of S. 2800 (99-1), America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, including provisions authorizing the Everglades Reservoir:
“We want to recognize and thank outgoing Florida Senate President Joe Negron, whose political leadership and personal courage made it possible for the Everglades Reservoir to be included in today’s vote.
“This is a victory by the people of Florida, who put their collective feet down and said, ‘Enough!’
“By the tens of thousands, they made their voices heard from Tallahassee to Washington, D.C., demanding action, finally, on the 18-year-old plan to store, clean and send Lake Okeechobee water south to the Everglades and the Florida Keys.
“Now, the real work begins. The history of Everglades restoration is littered with back-slapping celebrations followed by communal amnesia as projects that began in earnest were abandoned, delayed or held hostage to special interest politics.
“Floridians can never forget the environmental catastrophe we now face, nor the economic disaster and public health emergency it has caused. We must redouble our efforts to ensure that funding commitments are kept, and we must insist that the Reservoir be built in four years, not ten: I don’t want my youngest child to have to graduate high school before she gets to experience the Everglades, beaches and waterways that drew us all here in the first place.”
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EDITORS AND PRODUCERS NOTE:
Everglades Foundation experts including Eric Eikenberg are standing by for live interviews and commentary to discuss the Everglades Reservoir, the blue-green and red tide algae outbreaks and the importance of the Reservoir project to Everglades restoration. Simply call Rebecca Rose at 786-231-1687 or email her at RRose@evergladesfoundation.org
About The Everglades Foundation
The Everglades Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to leading efforts to restore and protect the greater Everglades ecosystem. Since its founding in 1993 by a group of local outdoor enthusiasts, the Foundation has become a respected and important advocate for the sustainability of one of the world’s most unique ecosystems. For more information, please visit EvergladesFoundation.org.
For more information about The Everglades Foundation, please visit EvergladesFoundation.org.
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