|
|
|
|
|
|
by lostcolony
1163 days ago
|
|
|
He -has- done some positive things towards the Everglades (signed an EO that puts another 3.5 billion towards restoration and water management there), but I do tend to think his track record is ultimately kind of limited just from the fact he denies climate change as being 'woke' (and sought to expand fossil fuel use and curb/ignore renewable use). It also happens to align with Republican Florida voters; the Everglades hasn't been politicized in the way climate change has. |
|
|
The Everglades restoration project was well underway before DeSantis, though he did pledge more money to accelerate it. But the Sierra Club and Friends of the Everglades have also criticized the planned reservoir as too small to truly restore water flows
The real reason for DeSantis' position here is obvious to anyone that knows anything about the history of Florida politics. The sugar industry is probably the biggest political force in Florida having both Dems and Reps in its payroll. It just so happens that they backed an opponent of DeSantis and DeSantis has had a very public beef with them ever since. In order to carry out this restoration plan, it means refilling the everglades that were drained in order to grow sugar canes. This is a direct attack on DeSantis' biggest and most powerful opponent and just so happens to also be very politically popular with the every day voter
EDIT: it seems my comment about the project being "well underway" is a little inaccurate. The project has a long history but by the time DeSantis took office the South Florida Water Management District had actually quietly reversed these plans, bending under pressure from the sugar industry. DeSantis replaced the board entirely and therefore played a significant role in resuming the effort