19 Days Before Election, Jeb Suddenly Wants More Everglades Money

[hatrack]

"Gov. Jeb Bush, flanked by top officials in his brother's administration, announced a $1.5-billion plan Thursday to speed up the sluggish Everglades restoration. But environmental groups campaigning in Florida to thwart President Bush's re-election used the announcement as another chance to bash the Bush administration's environmental record.

Bush's plan, unveiled at a wildlife refuge west of Boynton Beach, calls for the state to borrow the money over the next five years so it can take charge of some construction projects the federal government was supposed to help build.

EDIT

State officials denied accusations by some environmental activists that the announcement was connected to the presidential election 19 days away.

"It's the right thing to do at the right time," said Ernie Barnett, who heads up Everglades projects for the state Department of Environmental Protection. President Bush's Democratic rival, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, contended Gov. Bush was forced to bail out his brother because of presidential inaction on what was supposed to be a cornerstone environmental achievement.

"His four-year record of neglect has threatened the future of Everglades restoration and undermined the quality of life for all Floridians," Kerry said in a news release. Sierra Club Florida representative Frank Jackalone accused the Bush administration of moving "at a snail's pace on Everglades restoration over the last four years."

EDIT

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/15/State/Everglades_plan_leads.shtml

[jean]

1. is he up for re-election in two years? We should be able to

mobilize the entire country by that time and take him out of office.

[Florida_Geek]

2. No he is not --- Term limited

:)

[seasat]

3. Thank God!!!

At least Jebbie will be out. We could get someone just as bad but I can't imagine anyone worse as Governor.

Jebbie has stalled and weakened the Everglades restoration at every step of the way. They recently pulled funding for NOAA to monitor the impact of the restoration on the Keys and FL Bay.

Jebbie and other Bushies weakened the restoration effort by changing the way phosphate is measured in the 'Glades. They have to look at average concentrations within the Everglades instead the input water. If you run phosphate rich waters pass a bunch of aquatic vegetation then, Duh Jebbie, it will be lower. That doesn't address the problem of replacement of the native grasses by Cat Tails which out compete the Everglades flora in the presence of higher phosphate. This was a Gimmee to the sugar industry.

Jebbie has weakened proposals on development around the 'Glades and water flow. He even tried to privatize the water rights in the area by turning them over to an Enron subsidiary.

Jebbie came into the game after the plan was established by Lawton Chiles, the Clinton administration, and our two Dem senators. He is trying to green wash his pathetic environmental record and his retarded brother's in a bid to appeal to FL voters. I hope people are not that stupid as to buy this ploy but, as we've all noted on this board, you can't discount the evil tactics of their spin machine.

Sorry about the rant but I'm an oceanographer in S. FL. and any mention of Jebbie and his environmental policies gets my hackles up.

[Florida_Geek]

4. Well it does give Jebbie two years to get ready for his

2008 run. :puke:

[jean]

5. or a senate run - I will work relentlessly to keep any and all bush

family members, cousins, in laws or well-connected friends of theirs out of our public domain.

[hatrack]

6. And this is the same BushCo state government . . .

That has consistently refuse to strengthen or tried to roll back powerboat speed limits in manatee areas, isn't that correct?

Unless it can make a buck for them right now - RIGHT NOW, DAMNIT!!! - they don't care. They just don't give a damn.