Thaindian News

By Gina Gomez
West Palm Beach, Florida, Mar 14, (THAINDIAN NEWS) South Florida water management officials have approved a six month contract extension by an unanimous vote, which would provide a new lease of life to the plan of buying land from United States Sugar for the restoration of Everglades. The decision to extend the contract was finalized on Thursday, after the board of the South Florida Water Management District voted on the matter.

The South Florida Water Management District which comprises of a nine member board reached the conclusion which would for the time being keep alive Republican Governor Charlie Crist’s plan of the controversial $536 million purchase of land from the country’s largest cane sugar producer for restoring the Everglades, which has suffered widespread pollution due to fertilizers as well as urban overflow. The plan was revealed by Governor Charlie Crist almost two years earlier when he proposed a $1.75 billion purchase of the United States Sugar but it has been economized twice since then with cost being the prime adversity that the plan is facing. As of now, the plan takes into account 72,800 acres of the land U.S. Sugar Corp. and appeals the state to pay $536 in this regard.

Meanwhile, the South Florida water managers decision to extend the contract would mean that the proposed plan would be active until next month when the Supreme Court of Florida would give out the verdict whether the sale should actually be permitted. However, critics of the proposed deal have made their point of view clear and brushed away the deal as a wastage of tax payer’s money. It has also been emphasized by skeptics that the proposed plan would hamper other pivotal restoration initiatives.