Golden Gate/Badluck/Picayune

[digginfool]

I went to Ft Myers last Friday and while driving back, I happened to see where they are tearing up the roads in the Golden Gate, I assume as part of the Everglades restoration they have planned for that area.  My question, after 40-50 years of being in this condition, what are the plans for the flora and fauna that now call this area home, plant and animal life that is not accustomed to living in 2 feet of water?  What are they going to do with the thousands of slash pines and cabbage palms that now thrive in that area and will die as soon as they flood the area?  Isn't the cabbage palm protected?  I really have a hard time trying to understand what they believe they will accomplish with this plan.  It just seems like a horrible way to spend hundreds of millions of dollars.  Surely there are other, more viable, projects that money could be spent on.  There isn't even a realistic way of re-establishing sheet flow in that area unless they plan on turning the Alley into a 119 mile long bridge.  I love the Everglades and believe it should be protected but somebody has to draw a line when it comes to funding every little project the Sierra Club, and others like them, dreams up.  Aren't there several tens of thousands of teachers in this state that desperately deserve more money?  I know it's way late to change what they will do in the Picayune but damn, what a waste of money.

[JackL]

Wow, it is finally happening. Sad to say at the least, but it will heal right up and everything will adapt or move on....like the riders did.

It sounds as if it will be even better in the winter months when this is over...wonder what the fine for riding it is..

[450R_Matt]

Last I saw they were cutting the trees down and hauling them off.    Gone but not forgoten

[Mars]

I asked the same questions at several meetings since the BS started. No one could give me an anwser.

I would guess it's the same folks who train the panthers to use the million dollar crosswalks will train the wildlife how to swim.

[JackL]

Last I saw they were cutting the trees down and hauling them off.    Gone but not forgoten

Post some pictures. Heck, I almost want to drive over and see myself. Sure would like to sneak in from 41 on Miller rd and check it out..how wet is it?

[VForcedave]

Hayduke lives. Hayduke is a character in a series of books wriiten about his fight against the establishment that was trying to steal land and resources from the american public and sell off to Big Money devolpers and water management types. He was a American Outlaw that would not accept what the government was dishing out to the people. The setting was in Utah, Nevada, Arizona areas. If anyone is interested in his exploits, let me now. He is my friggin hero. 

[JackL]

I would guess it's the same folks who train the panthers to use the million dollar crosswalks will train the wildlife how to swim.

LMFAO. Now this is the only laugh I ever got from the situation, but that place got pretty deep except for the roads 3/4 of the time anyway.

I am as bitter as the next guy from being denied use of the land, but the terrain will be more natural and I don't see how it will affect the wildlife any different.

Where is Anoriginal to throw in his two cents in this thread.

[lswjth2]

OK, im going to chime on this one.
1) The state is selling the "tall palms" to developers. this is legal under the "restoration".
2) The animals are supposed to move to the "North Side" of SGGE. This is what SFWMD told me when i asked them this same question. That's why the 2100 acres the Florida Dept of Foresrty had proposed for ORV/ATV use was shut down by SFWMD and ACOE.
3) About 42,000 acres will be under water now.

This is why i have such a hard time with all these a$$holes.

CERP or "Everglades Destruction" is modeled after WRDA, in WRDA "Historic and Cultural" uses are to be protected, they wiped their a$$ with this.

SFWMD and USFWS have issued a permit to build 25,000 homes and hotels and Golf courses that backup right onto the Florida Panther Preserve. In the 2005 Environmental Impact Report (EIR) from USFWS it clearly states that the majority of panther activity is in and around the "Florida Panther Preserve" . (Corner of us 29 and I-75).

So my ATV "Bothers" the Panther but not the 25,000 homes/hotels cars, etc.


Folks,you really really need to understand there  are all together about 60 of these projects, and you will not be allowed on any SFWMD LAND. SFWMD is the ANTICHRIST. They have a VP of US sugar and developers on their board. There is no "Restoration", this is another plumbing Job for the estimated 5 Million people that will be moving to South Florida.

In 2002 then Governor Bush and the Florida Legislature signed an "Ammendment" into CERP allowing the Sugar companies and the EAA region to continue to pollute into Lake O. For an additional 10 years. So what's the point??? Jose "pepe" Fanjul, owner of Crystal sugar was Jeb's biggest money contributor to his election and reelection campaign. He was actually at BUsh's side during his visit here to promote the "restortation"

We can sit down and take it in the A$$, or we can start showing up at these meetings and start telling the general public the truth about this. Your Choice.....Rick

[Justbilly]

they plan on turning the Alley into a 119 mile long bridge. 

Thats the plan I believe..

[JackL]

We can sit down and take it in the A$$, or we can start showing up at these meetings and start telling the general public the truth about this. Your Choice.....Rick

I'm pretty sure no one has a problem doing that.

they plan on turning the Alley into a 119 mile long bridge. 

Thats the plan I believe..

Why did they just dump all that money in recreational access points? I thought it was a chunk of 41.

They also want to make the HOV lanes on I-95 into toll roads...

[KB]

I'm sure you heard about this already,  www.tbo.com/news/opinion/editorials/MGBYLWMW55F.html

[JackL]

I'm sure you heard about this already,  www.tbo.com/news/opinion/editorials/MGBYLWMW55F.html

I have never seen this, thanks for posting it.

[lswjth2]

Jack, The access points you are talking about are for "boardwalks" and so on. It has nothing to do with ORV access points. Sometime in September, there is going to be a meeting with the MPO(Metropolitan planning Organization) here in Collier County where they are taking up again the possible designation of US 41 as a "scenic Highway" if 41 does get designated as such, this will be another blow to us, because then they can prohibit parking along 41 for the hunters, fisherman, bikers etc. Not only is this bad, but this will also include the "viewshed", Meaning they will have control as far as the eye can see and if they dont want to see swamp buggies or atv, guess what, even though it's federal land, you have to be out of the "viewshed area". Rick

[KB]

I don't know much about things down in S. FL. but I read an article about a sugar grower named pepe(owns the biggest sugar co. in FL) he  was the one who donated the most money last year, maybe this year as well,to Gov. Bush. They say pepe can have another year at polluting into Lk. Okeechobee 

[lswjth2]

Here's the link........


http://www.politicalfriendster.com/showConnection.php?id1=4540&id2=181

[KB]

That's him "Pepe",
Some shady stuff right there.

[lswjth2]

Here's more stuff to really piss you off!!!


http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/37/16338

Scroll down to "Kingdom of Sugar".

On of the VP's of US Sugar, Malcolm"Bubba" Wade is a director for SFWMD. Maybe you guys can start pitting the dots together. There is no "Everglades restoration", Just big money political payback. SFWMD are Crooks and Thugs.

[JackL]

The general public really has no idea about any of this. I had it out with a bunch of kooks and leaf lickers who buy the entire snow job about this in the local sun-sentinel newspapers forum after a Lake O, we will be doomed soon story.

Please email or post anything else like this that people need to know.

[lswjth2]

here's more PROOF that this whole thing is a LIE...


http://www.everglades.org/spring2006.pdf

Scroll down to "21st annual everglades"


The 21st Annual
Everglades Coalition Conference



I would like to share with you some of my impressions
of the Everglades Coalition 21st Annual Conference held January
26 – 29 on Hutchinson Island.
It seemed to me that while state and federal officials
were enthusiastically reporting progress in several areas of Comprehensive
Everglades Restoration, no one really knows how to
solve some of the most difficult problems which still lie ahead.
For example, Modified Water Delivery is a series of complicated
projects designed to restore water flow into northeastern
Everglades National Park. Yet any such restoration endangers
urban areas east of the park, primarily through seepage. Several
scientists at the conference reported on a system of canals, levies
and pumps that will be constructed to minimize seepage, but
as Friends board member Sue Wilson pointed out, these solutions may cause even more problems, such as salt water intrusion
from the bay. I left the conference contemplating the gloomy
possibility that Mod Waters may simply be unworkable.
A particularly revealing moment occurred for me during
a Concurrent Panel Discussion on restoration of water flow.
Included were panelists from South Florida Water Management
District, Army Corps of Engineers, and a hydrologist involved
in Everglades restoration. During the question and answer phase,
I asked the following question of the panel: “Some have charged
that CERP (Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project) is
primarily a water supply plan for farmers and real estate interests.
They say that while it provides enough water for the population
of South Florida to double, it provides no additional water
to Everglades National Park until at least 2020. Do any of
you believe this charge is justified?” The response I got was
silence. Not one panelist attempted to refute this position. When
the discussion was adjourned, I rushed forward before the panelists
could leave the table and asked several of the panel members,
“Why didn’t you refute my position?” Their reply was essentially:
“Because you were right.” That was a response I would
have expected from environmentalists but not from government
representatives responsible for promoting Everglades restoration.
Several public officials were featured as keynote speakers.
It seemed to me that conference participants were rather
indiscriminate in their praise of these speakers, regardless of
whether that praise was deserved or not. For example, one of the
keynote speakers was Bruce Babbitt, Clinton’s Secretary of Interior.
In March 1993, according to Harper’s Magazine, Alfy
Fanjul met privately with Babbitt, presenting him with an Everglades
restoration plan drawn up by Florida Crystals’ scientists.
When Babbitt unveiled the administration’s restoration plan in
July of that same year, it bore (quoting from Harper’s) “an uncanny
resemblance” to Fanjul’s plan. Yet the speaker who introduced
Babbitt had nothing but glowing praise for his many contributions
to the Everglades and the audience gave him two standing
ovations. Perhaps we should pick our heroes more carefully.

[KB]

The general public really has no idea about any of this. I had it out with a bunch of kooks and leaf lickers who buy the entire snow job about this in the local sun-sentinel newspapers forum after a Lake O, we will be doomed soon story.

Please email or post anything else like this that people need to know.

Your right Jack most people don't know, lswjth2 has always helped us out w/this kinda info. This stuff makes me sick to my stomach.

I don't understand, they claim were "destroying" our O.N.F. so badly, but as long as you give us boy's some $$ you can keep on dumping/polluting into one of our Country's biggest, & our State's most important lakes, I think I understand now, you just have to pay them off, and you can do whatever you want.

[lswjth2]

Well. I filed a formal complaint with SFWMD inspector General, they did call back and wiped their a$$es. So hewre's my plan of attack and i need help with this.

I am going to be sending the Attorney General in Washington, The office and OMB and the Florida state attorneys office all this information demanding that an Investigation be opened up into CERP and specifically SFWMD.

Then aremed with as much info as we have, start showing up to these CERP meetings and disclose to the General public all that we have. At that point, since the meetings are filmed, it becomes "public record", But i cannot do these alone....Rick


Here's more stuff.

A developer in Miami get's the OK to build condo's in the restoration area, and SFWMD say's it will help restore the waterflow....

this was taken from the Naples daily news in Naples, Florida



Developer gets OK to build in midst of Everglades restoration project

S. Fla Water Management District raises eyebrows with its blessing of construction in polluted area

By Jeremy Cox (Contact)

Saturday, March 11, 2006

A Miami developer wants to drop nearly 500 townhouses among live oaks and slash pine that are in the middle of a stalled Everglades restoration project in Collier County.

The South Florida Water Management District is playing a big role in planning the resuscitation of Belle Meade, a sprawling collection of subdivisions east of Collier Boulevard. Its affliction: too many ditches and developments and not enough treatment of the polluted water they generate, experts say.

So, when the state agency issued its blessing Wednesday for the Miami developer's proposal, it raised a few eyebrows.

Brad Cornell, policy advocate for the Collier County Audubon Society, criticized the water management district, saying it is giving away land that might be critical to the planned restoration project.

"They don't know if they don't need it because no one has done any planning," Cornell said. "That's why we can't go to the governing board and say don't permit this away, even though in general terms that's what they're doing."

The Belle Meade and Henderson Creek project is one of the many Everglades-related projects that lack federal authorization and funding. The work has been part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, or CERP, since the plan's 2000 inception.

Photo by Chad Yoder / Daily News

The water management district's permit reviewers concluded that the new housing development, called Journey's End, "will not have an impact on the restoration project," according to a memo sent to the governor-appointed governing board.

"That development is consistent with CERP," Anthony DeLuise, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, said in an interview. "It won't interfere with the restoration efforts."

The two-story townhouses and "apartment homes" are to be built on about 66 acres of former cropland on the south side of Manatee Road, a block east of Collier Boulevard. But since farming ceased on the property more than a decade ago, a forest of oaks, pines and palms has started taking over.

The developer, Alejandro Capo of Rimar Enterprises, couldn't be reached for comment.

The planned development is across the street from Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, which encompasses 110,000 acres of sensitive mangroves. Henderson Key, a key tributary, winds through the reserve as well as Belle Meade's rural neighborhoods.

Keith Laakkonen, resource management coordinator at Rookery Bay, said the bay is suffering from "the older developments that didn't really account for how the water flowed in South Florida."

Since the area is so flat, U.S. 41 East and Collier Boulevard act like dams that block water from flowing naturally in broad sheets into the bay, nourishing its marine life.

Plans for Journey's End call for a sophisticated water-treatment system that includes shallow depressions designed to catch water and route it through swales to Henderson Creek. The project also would alleviate flooding woes at the nearby Rookery Bay Apartments.

"What it will actually do, it accounts for some stormwater treatment on those areas and actually gets that fresh water to spread on the natural area much better than it has in the past," Laakkonen said.

He quickly added: "There's definitely pros and cons. The preserve does not support development, but we will certainly support responsible, ecological ways of doing development."
Comments

[Justbilly]

These people make our state suck!

[lswjth2]

But wait there's more......A researcher for University of Miami somehow got his lab equipment removed because his findings did not match those of SFWMD. Take a guess as to who sits on the Board of Directors for UM? One of the Fanjul Brothers. Not only is this sickening, but big sugar is actually SUBSIDIZED by the federal government. 


http://www.globalcoral.org/Larry%20Brand%20Flouts%20the%20Grant%20System,%20Pays%20the%20Price.htm

This is a quote from this story....I really suggest you read this.....rick

"Certainly Big Sugar was upset with him. At UM, powerful sugar growers were within earshot. Alfonso Fanjul, Jr., for example, the owner of the giant Florida Crystals, is a member of the board of trustees at the university, and is known to throw his political weight around. In 1996 Fanjul called President Clinton to complain about a tax on sugar that Al Gore was proposing. A White House intern named Monica Lewinsky bore witness to the call; the Everglades bore the brunt. The tax proposal was shelved. Then Fanjul threw $23 million at state legislators to make sure a sugar tax to help pay for Everglades restoration wouldn't happen in Florida either. Of course, it didn't.  "

[KB]

Some crazy stuff right there, it should be illegal.

[Justbilly]

Rick,
I cant explain how happy I am that you are compling all this information and forwarding it to higher powers.
How do you feel about Gov Christ?  Do you think he is already in the pocket of the kings of development and sugar.