Image Credit: Pakalolo
Shhhh! Florida republicans are quietly plotting a nefarious plan to allow the private sector the opportunity to harvest the trees in our State parks and natural areas, allow agricultural interests to plow up state park land, and allowing ranchers to graze their cattle on currently protected wet and dry prairie habitats. So as not to hurt the feelings of the communications industry, the bought and paid for republican controlled house and senate support cell phone towers rising above the palms and the cypress domes (assuming any are left given the goodies showered on the timber industry) of Florida's beautiful and award winning state park system.
This top secret plot is under wraps because Floridian's love of our state parks. In 2014, Florida voters joined New Jersey and California in approving $13 billion to protect existing state lands and funding for additional acquisition of conservation land.
"Tuesday was a remarkable day for land conservation in states and cities across America," said Will Rogers, President of The Trust for Public Land, the nation's leader in creating public funding for parks and open space. "Voters in Florida, New Jersey, and California all approved measures which will mean billions of dollars will be spent to preserve the special places which are important to them and their families. And that approval came from voters regardless of their party affiliation."
"But the results were not surprising," Rogers said. "For more than 20 years, The Trust for Public Land has seen that support from Democratic, Republican and independent voters alike. Whether voters are 'red' or 'blue,' they are both 'green' and they are willing to vote with their pocketbooks to protect special places."
The measures included:
•Florida - An amendment to the state constitution won 75-25% approval and will dedicate $18 billion over the next 20 years, with half that amount set aside for new land conservation, including major investments in the Everglades. The $9 billion total makes up the bulk of the $13 billion approved Tuesday. The Florida measure was the largest land conservation measure ever approved in a single state.
Hat tip to
The Tampa Bay Times for reporting on this story so that west coast Floridians can see what these greedy and corrupt bastards are up to as
Myakka State Park is first to be pillaged. They note:
For decades, "Florida's lawmakers, governors and administrators understood that a state park was . . . for the perpetual preservation of unique portions of original, natural Florida," said Phillip A. Werndli, who recently retired as chief historian of the Florida Park Service. In fact, state law said the parks are supposed to "conserve these natural values for all time."
The parks do make money for Florida, though, because their natural beauty attracts so many visitors, both from within the state and around the globe. A DEP analysis last year found that about 27 million people visited the parks, generating an economic impact of $2.1 billion.
To Steverson, though, that's not enough. In March he told a Senate committee the parks cover only 77 percent of their expenses, and he wants to boost that to 100 percent.
Steverson told the senators he believes the park system can protect the environment "while still becoming self-sustaining. . . . We can do a lot to expand the utilization of this land to support other areas of the DEP mission."
Steverson said his goal is simple: "I want to maximize value for the taxpayers, but also for the environment."
That's also the goal of HB 7135 and SB 7086 , bills that are rapidly nearing a final vote in the Legislature. Both call for state park management plans to include "preservation of low impact agriculture" among their mandated goals, and to find parks that could support low impact agriculture. The bills do not really define "low-impact agriculture" except to say it's the kind of farming or ranching that doesn't pollute too much or interfere with recreation in the park.
7:10 AM PT: Action.
I am not aware of any organized effort to stop this plan in it's tracks. But I intend calling my local reps.
Link to locate your state representative:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/...
For the state Senate:
https://www.flsenate.gov/...
FL DEP
Office of the Secretary 850-245-2011
Office of Governor Rick Scott
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
(850) 488-7146