Jeb's parting shots: OK's new power plant and state's inflated $$ land purchase from developers

[seafan]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-fgasplant20dec20,0,5181139.story?coll=sfla-news-florida">Bush, Cabinet OK power plant


By Mark Hollis
Tallahassee Bureau
Posted December 20 2006

TALLAHASSEE · Despite objections from Palm Beach County environmentalists and three congressmen, construction of a new natural gas-burning power plant west of Wellington won unanimous approval Tuesday from Gov. Jeb Bush and the Florida Cabinet.

Members of the Sierra Club and other environmental activists argued that the West County Energy Center sought by Florida Power & Light Co. isn't needed because growth in the area has slowed. The opponents also said the plant shouldn't be built because it would put too many pollutants into an area near the Everglades that is important to wildlife.
Cabinet members rejected the claims, saying FPL appeared to meet standards for protecting the environment and wildlife, and that the region's overall energy demands support the plant's construction.

"We need energy. People need juice," Gov.-elect Charlie Crist, who sits on the Cabinet as the state's attorney general, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel before the meeting. "Providing energy for a state that is growing as rapidly as we are is awfully important to our people. We've got to keep the lights on."

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Some of the critics said the plant would spur growth in still-undeveloped portions of western Palm Beach County, and others said the power plant would harm wildlife, in part because it would use surface water from the Everglades for cooling.
"It's just not needed at this time," said John Koch, a Sierra Club member who lives in unincorporated western Palm Beach County. "We have a two-year supply of housing on the market in the area now. People are leaving South Florida in large numbers. The county is just loaded with empty condos."

Late Monday, U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, and Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, and incoming Congressman Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, sent a letter to Bush and the Cabinet urging postponement of their vote, saying many local residents were not aware of plans for the plant and that sufficient notice had not been given.
Aides to Bush said the criticism wasn't justified, noting that all legally required notices were sent and that the project had been subject to 20 months of official scrutiny. Peter Cunningham, an attorney representing FPL, said the plant still needs additional government approval for the natural gas supply lines that will bring it fuel.

snip

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-wekiva2006dec20,0,839460.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state">Bush, Cabinet approve buying Wekiva land

Kevin Spear | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted December 20, 2006

Gov. Jeb Bush and the Cabinet approved a $74 million purchase of Wekiva River land Tuesday, all but ensuring a huge profit for a development partnership but giving environmentalists hope that a proposed expressway won't destroy Central Florida's most treasured wilderness.

snip

The purchase price, however, is a nearly a 1,000 percent increase over the $6.9 million the current owner, Barn LLP of Orlando, paid for the property five years ago. Barn LLP officials would not comment Tuesday.

To swing the deal, state officials partnered with Lake and Orange counties, the St. Johns River Water Management District and the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority.

With little discussion, the Cabinet agreed to contribute $34.2 million to the purchase.

snip

Environmental activists, while encouraged by the purchase of the Neighborhood Lakes property, warn that other tracts must be bought and further development limits are needed to shield the Wekiva River from expected growth.

The past year has seen a flurry of large environmental purchases in Florida, including the 74,000-acre Babcock Ranch for $350 million; a tract of nearly 4,000 acres near Silver Springs in Marion County for $76 million; and the 4,569-acre Joshua Creek parcel in Orange and Seminole counties for $50 million.

(bolding mine)

[whistle]

1. The power plant will be a total waste of money and resources

...considering that the country could use natural gas in more productive ways than burning it up at a 90% wasted energy rate to produce the highest cost of electrical power to their customers.

[seafan]

2. Oh, but it means big buck$$$ for Jebbie's buddies, so not a total boondoggle.

:sarcasm:

Gotta keep 'em happy for Jeb's next political move.

[Mojorabbit]

3. Central florida is turning

into a giant parking lot. I remember how it used to be. It was lovely when I moved here 35 years ago. Sigh.