Take Action To Save The Everglades From Big Sugar

It’s time to protect our water by ending the deadlock on Everglades restoration once and for all. What has been called "the most critical piece of land ever for Everglades restoration" could be bought this year, but Big Sugar, who agreed to sell this land to the public in 2010, is trying to run out the clock, hoping you won’t notice.

Sign the petition to Gov. Scott and the Florida Legislature today and tell them to buy this critical land south of Lake Okeechobee. We can help save the Everglades from Big Sugar and protect Florida’s drinking water all at the same time.

Dear Governor Scott and members of the Florida Legislature:

We need you to act now to protect and save Florida’s drinking water.

Last November, 75 percent of Floridians voted for Amendment 1 to the Florida Constitution, setting aside funds to clean and protect the Everglades and protect our drinking water.

The US sugar industry is encouraging you to ignore the voters.

You should reject the arguments of the sugar industry and force them to honor their binding written contract to sell 46,800 acres of sugar land to the state for construction of the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir. Unlike projects being advanced by the sugar lobby, the new reservoir will help control pollution and save the Everglades. In addition, the reservoir will have a major impact on saving our state’s water supply as the Everglades provides water to 1 in 3 Floridians.

We urge you to follow the will of the voters over the US Sugar lobbyists and prioritize Everglades restoration and fund the purchase of this critical land.

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Subject: Big Sugar vs. The Everglades

Friends,

It’s time to stop the pretending and demand our legislators stand up to Big Sugar, protect our water and end the deadlock on Everglades restoration once and for all. What has been called "the most critical piece of land ever for Everglades restoration" can be acquired this year, but Big Sugar is backsliding on a previous agreement to do so, hoping you won’t notice.

Sign the petition to the Florida Legislature today and tell them to buy this critical land south of Lake Okeechobee. We can help save the Everglades from Big Sugar and protect Florida’s drinking water all at the same time.

http://act.progressflorida.org/sign/everglades/?source=taf

In 2010, the State of Florida made a deal with the sugar industry to acquire land to clean up the industry’s pollution, protect drinking water, and clean-up terribly polluted waterways on both coasts. The sugar industry signed an agreement to sell the land so the state could build a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to contain overflowing polluted waters. The CEO of U.S. Sugar at the time praised the deal, “The bottom line: Florida has a very rare opportunity to reacquire a large swath of the historic Everglades from a willing seller.”

Now, thanks to passage of Amendment 1, the state has the funds to purchase this critically important land, but Big Sugar is doing a big flip-flop. Legislators that have received millions in campaign contributions from Big Sugar, are dragged their feet, hoping they can run out the clock for their Big Sugar donors.

In the 2014 election, the people of Florida demonstrated their strong desire to purchase sensitive lands critical to water conservation by passing Amendment 1 with 75% of the vote. Now the legislature is simply out of excuses.

Join me and tell the Florida Legislature to stop stalling for Big Sugar and help save the Everglades and our drinking water.

http://act.progressflorida.org/sign/everglades/?source=taf

Thanks for taking action for the Everglades.

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