U.S. Congress approves funds for Everglades

The Florida Everglades

November 3, 2000
Web posted at: 2:10 PM EST (1910 GMT)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The U.S. Congress on Friday gave final approval to government funding for a politically important $7.8 billion project to rehabilitate the dying Florida Everglades -- one of the largest environmental restorations in history.

The House of Representatives, in an overwhelming vote of 312-2, authorized the project as part of a broader water resources development bill, approved by the Senate by a voice vote on Tuesday.

The legislation authorizes $1.4 billion in federal funds as a down payment for the first stages of the ambitious 30-year restoration of one of America's most treasured wetlands.

Most of money will be used to undo engineering over the past 50 years which has drained water from the delicate and complex system of marshes, waterways and grasslands to make room for agriculture and development.

The landmark project, half of which will be federally funded and half of which will be funded by Florida, is aimed at recapturing some of the 1.7 billion gallons of water a day dumped into the ocean as a result of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control project started in 1948.

The National Wildlife Federation, the biggest U.S. conservation group, said the project would reverse half a century of environmental damage to the Everglades and called Congress' move "the start of the greatest environmental turnaround in history and a victory for an American treasure."

"I have been looking after this piece of my backyard for most of my life," said Representative Clay Shaw of Florida, widely credited with spearheading the legislation through Congress.

Passage of the measure will give a much needed boost to Clay, a Republican who faces a tough reelection battle in his Fort Lauderdale district in the Nov. 7 elections.

Republican lawmakers, anxious to demonstrate to the voting public their determination to continue serious legislative work as close as possible to next Tuesday's presidential and Congressional elections, trumpeted the move.

"Today's action is another in a very long list of actions that proves the Republican Congress delivers on America's priorities," said Florida Republican Representative Porter Goss.

The Everglades project is a hot campaign issue crucial to the electoral fortunes of both Republicans and Democrats in Florida. The state, which has no less than 25 electoral votes, has several closely contested Congressional races and is a key battleground for Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic presidential candidate, and his Republican rival Texas Gov. George W. Bush, whose brother Jeb is Florida's governor.

As Republicans claimed credit for driving the measure through Congress, Democrats noted that Everglades restoration has been a top priority of the Clinton-Gore administration for years.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol Browner, who has been at the forefront of those pushing the project, last month welcomed passage of an earlier version of the legislation by the House, saying: "For the first time in history we have a comprehensive plan for making the heart of the Everglades pulse once again with clean, abundant water."

The bill will now go to President Bill Clinton, who is expected to sign it swiftly into law.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Everglades Florida
National Wildlife Federation
Environmental Protection Agency

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