Clinton Signs Everglades Law
Copyright © 2000 The Associated Press
December 11, 2000
By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - A Bush went to the White House Monday, but it was the other one.
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a brother of Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush (news - web sites), came to Washington to join other Floridians in watching President Clinton sign into law a measure to help restore the Florida Everglades. The signing was scheduled Monday afternoon.
As Jeb Bush entered the White House, lawyers for his older brother were making their case for ending the Florida election recount battle between George W. Bush and Clinton's vice president, Democrat Al Gore (news - web sites).
The signing was closed to the media and the public and Jeb Bush's other activities in Washington were not announced.
The law authorizes $1.4 billion as a first installment in a 30-year, $7.8 billion attempt to restore the natural flow in the 300 miles of swampland, saw-grass marshes and mangrove estuaries. It will involve water storage, storm water treatment areas and agriculture storage reservoirs. The overall cost is to be divided equally with the state of Florida.
Advocates say the project will bring cleaner drinking water to 6 million south Florida residents, a boon to the tourist industry and a reprieve for the Florida panther, the West Indian manatee and other endangered species in the Everglades.
Half of the Everglades, a national park, disappeared over the past half-century as a result of Army Corps of Engineers work that was ordered by Congress. The orders were to build canals, levees and pumping stations to decrease the risk of flooding and open up land to agriculture and residential development.
Everyday, 1.7 billion gallons of water drains from the park into the sea.