Why Does DeSantis Care about the Everglades?
They won.
I was driving into town this week and turned on NPR in the middle of a story about Florida’s Everglades, the last thing I would be thinking about. Strangely enough, it has stayed with me.
Decades of flood control, along with problems from a 1920’s highway, have cut off fresh water. And the sea water is rising. All this threatens the drinking water for 8 million people, to say nothing of the ecology of these wetlands.
But Biden’s infrastructure plan has directed funds to the Everglades to help it recover.
"This $1.1 billion was designed for projects that could be completed start to finish or close to start to finish," said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades.
Samples said the mandate for the White House money is clear: Finish three smaller projects that have been dragging on for years. Also, map out costs on two bigger projects so they don’t get mired in delays.
Because we’re so used to political starvation, I find this aid heartbreakingly appropriate.
Well, it turns out that Governor DeSantis is livid over this. Instead of the Everglades, his eye has been on a reservoir for Florida’s high-end Treasure Coast that will help shore up his political fortune in 2024.
But at an estimated $2-plus billion dollars, the reservoir is more expensive than the infrastructure plan’s entire national allotment for environmental projects. Army Corps officials said that’s what kept it off the list.
I would say the Treasure Coast probably doesn’t need public money, but it would be a happy steal for their Property Owners Association. It’s interesting to me that political success depends in some places on theft from the public purse.
I celebrate Biden and other public servants for not assuming this kind of success is necessary.
There is so much wealth on the Treasure Coast. It is aptly named. Its leading inhabitants could easily fund their own fresh water project. As usual, De Santis doesn't really care for those who need the most help with this issue. They are not really his people.
Dr Santis cares about the everglades because most of its inhabitants are like minded.