Representatives Hastings and Boyd React to Florida DEP Letter Regarding U.S. Sugar Land Acquisition Deal

Press Release

U.S. Representative and Democratic Co-Chairman of Florida's Congressional Delegation Alcee L. Hastings (D-Miramar) and U.S. Representative Allen Boyd (D-North Florida) released the following statement today in response to the letter they received from Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Michael W. Sole. Secretary Sole's letter is in response to Representatives Hastings and Boyd's July 31 letter outlining four pages worth of questions about on-going negotiations.

"We are grateful for the thorough response provided by Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Sole to our July 31 letter regarding the proposed land acquisition deal.

"We are pleased that the State has promised to markedly increase the transparency of the land deal negotiations and promote stronger cooperation with its federal partner and the Glades communities. We are hopeful that these promises will be fulfilled.

"Recent reports have indicated that negotiations will likely be delayed until early 2009. We are troubled that the State did not notify us of this delay and encourage the State to keep us abreast of all future postponements. We hope that this extra time will allow us to learn more details of the plan, including the cost, design, and footprint of the land. We are concerned that these important details remain in question. Further, we are uneasy over the lack of certainty regarding how the deal impacts construction and financing of critical Everglades restoration projects. We are committed to ensuring that the land acquisition deal does not prevent timely federal funding of these projects.

"We also would like to emphasize the significant and ongoing impact that this deal will have on communities in the region. To that end, for the good of all people involved in this deal, we encourage the State to make every effort to keep the public and Members of Congress apprised of future developments in a timely manner. As negotiations continue, the State must be vigilant in assessing the effects of the land acquisition deal on the people in the area and the entire State of Florida."

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