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Lawmakers Question Buyout Of U.S. Sugar

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By BILLY HOUSE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 1, 2008

WASHINGTON - Two Democratic Florida congressmen Thursday posed more than two dozen detailed questions about Gov. Charlie Crist's proposal to save the Everglades through a $1.75 billion buyout of U.S. Sugar.

In a letter, Reps. Alcee Hastings of Miramar and Allen Boyd of Monticello pressed the Crist administration on topics ranging from the total cost of the land-acquisition plan, to what, exactly, the federal responsibilities will be.

Their letter was addressed directly to Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole, who had attended a meeting with Florida's U.S. House members on the plan Wednesday.

Hastings, Boyd and other lawmakers - including Republicans - were critical during that meeting of the secrecy surrounding the Crist administration's negotiations with U.S. Sugar, not made public until last month.

The letter sent out by Hasting and Boyd was done on their own, not with other members of the delegation.

But it shows that in their cases, the concerns about the Crist plan go beyond mere disappointment in being left in the dark.

"The congressman is very determined to get answers," said David Goldenberg, Hastings' chief of staff.

Among the questions contained in the four-page letter:

•What is the total cost of the plan to buy U.S. Sugar's 187,000 acres and other holdings in the northern Everglades? The letter notes the Florida Legislature struggled this fiscal year with a $2 billion gap in state revenue and had to cut education and other programs.

•What are the long-term operations and maintenance costs of implementing the plans for a network of reservoirs and water-treatment marshes, in terms of labor, infrastructure and other costs?

•Giving the current economic environment, what will the effect be on taxpayers and specific counties?

•How will it be paid for without raising taxes?

•Was Florida Commission of Agriculture Charlie Bronson consulted on the effect of agriculture in the region?

•What will be the federal responsibilities for this land? How will the Army Corps of Engineers, a partner with the state in Everglades restoration, fulfill its mandate on existing projects?

•Which, if any, of the already authorized projects in the federal Water Resources Development Act of 2007 need to be altered?

The letter also pushes for answers and assurances that the state does not intend to delay or scrap implementation of current federal-state projects in the Everglades, such as the Indian River Lagoon project.

Sole had not yet received the letter as of late Thursday.

But spokeswoman Sarah Williams said, "We appreciate the Florida delegation's interest and will be happy to address any questions that remain after Wednesday's meeting when we do receive the letter."

Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or bhouse@tampatrib.com.

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