Brief commentary by Houston R. Cypress, followed by the Miccosukee Tribe's letter to SFWMD.
The Miccosukee Tribe is very skeptical of the latest plans put forth by the South Florida Water Management District resulting from Florida Senator Joe Negron's SB10 legislation.
First, there's the blatant disregard of the consultation process with the people living in the area that will be impacted downstream of this reservoir project.
The Miccosukee Chairman goes on to describe discriminatory policies and practices that the Miccosukee community have suffered and fought back against through litigation.
The Tribe objects to water storage in the Everglades Agricultural Area and advocates for storage north of Lake Okeechobee. One reason for this is that the Tribe wants to see the water cleaned up, and this reservoir doesn't address the water quality.
The Tribe also points out the inaccurate and incomplete data, as well as faulty reasoning, published by the South Florida Water Management District. Averaging data distorts the picture. Leaving out monitoring stations distorts the picture.
The Tribe points to similar, big-ticket projects like the elevation of the Tamiami Trail, as a waste of taxpayer dollars that aren't effective on the ground, and he's wary that this is more of the same.
Billy Cypress has articulated the on-going discrimination that his community has been suffering for decades and he feels that the SB10 Reservoir project is going to lead to further loss of cultural practices and the continued degradation of the River of Grass.
First, there's the blatant disregard of the consultation process with the people living in the area that will be impacted downstream of this reservoir project.
The Miccosukee Chairman goes on to describe discriminatory policies and practices that the Miccosukee community have suffered and fought back against through litigation.
The Tribe objects to water storage in the Everglades Agricultural Area and advocates for storage north of Lake Okeechobee. One reason for this is that the Tribe wants to see the water cleaned up, and this reservoir doesn't address the water quality.
The Tribe also points out the inaccurate and incomplete data, as well as faulty reasoning, published by the South Florida Water Management District. Averaging data distorts the picture. Leaving out monitoring stations distorts the picture.
The Tribe points to similar, big-ticket projects like the elevation of the Tamiami Trail, as a waste of taxpayer dollars that aren't effective on the ground, and he's wary that this is more of the same.
Billy Cypress has articulated the on-going discrimination that his community has been suffering for decades and he feels that the SB10 Reservoir project is going to lead to further loss of cultural practices and the continued degradation of the River of Grass.
Download the Miccosukee Letter to SFWMD using the link below.
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| discrimination_in_water_management_decission_letter_and_attachments_.pdf |
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