[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ne of the biggest issues facing Everglades restoration in 2015 is the State’s decision whether or not to buy 46,800 acres of land south of Lake Okeechobee from U.S. Sugar Corp. before the option expires this October.
Phosphorus and sulfur runoff from the sugar industry are polluting the Everglades, leading to ecosystem collapse and a buildup of toxic methyl-mercury. We have reached the limits of our technology to remove those pollutants through Stormwater Treatment Areas and the water that flows through these STAs is still above the pollutant limit scientists believe are necessary to maintain the Everglades ecosystem.
As long as Big Sugar is operating in Florida, the only way to improve the water quality and flow into the Everglades is to increase the area of land dedicated to treatment.
You can TAKE ACTION by emailing the Governing Board members of the South Florida Water Management District (copy and paste emails below) today!
Addresses – dokeefe@sfwmd.gov, kpowers@sfwmd.gov, fbarber@sfwmd.gov, sbatchel@sfwmd.gov, mhutchcraft@sfwmd.gov, mpeterson@sfwmd.gov, jmoran@sfwmd.gov, jportuon@sfwmd.gov, bguillory@sfwmd.gov, mkivett@sfwmd.gov
Subject line – Buy U.S. Sugar land now!
![By Miguel.v (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://flylifemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/1024px-South_Florida_rocklands_on_Everglades_National_Park_Long_Pine_Key_Nature_Trail.jpg)
By Miguel.v (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
