Water Management approves land deal

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. - After years of paring down the proposal, the controversial Everglades land deal was approved.

The South Florida Water Management District unanimously approved the multi-million dollar purchase Thursday afternoon.

In front of a packed house, the governing board said yes to buying 28 thousand Everglades acres.

Governing board president Eric Buermann summed up how most board members felt after the unanimous yes vote. "I'm very glad that we've been decisive and that we're moving on in some way, because I was really worried about the seller."

The board will use available cash, not reserve funds, to buy the acreage for a little more than 197 million dollars.

The land is to be used for Everglades restoration, but a specific plan for that restoration hasn't been finalized.

The board and U.S Sugar both say the long-term plan is improving water quality.

After two years of negotiating the amount and price of acres, both sides also say approving this plan now was in the board's best interest.

"We are very pleased with the board’s yes vote. We have had two contracts with the South Florida Water Management District and the economics have forced them to come back to the negotiating table and when they came back the last time I think we made it clear that this was the last time," said U.S. Sugar Corporation Director of Corporate Communications Judy Sanchez.

Some are worried this approval could affect taxpayers in the long run.

Marianne Moran of the Tea Party in Action said, "A vote for this deal today is a vote to raise property taxes."

Despite the vote the deal has not been finalized.

A federal judge has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to come up with some guidelines for the land.

That could hold up the purchase process.

There is now a 60 day time period to finalize this deal.

Another public meeting is set at the Water Management District headquarters on October 8th.