The presentation will address the Everglades from several angles. A brief overview of the "River of Grass" provides ecological background on the importance of this system, and insight into the functions of other wetlands. Then I will introduce several problems that currently affect the vitality of the Everglades, beginning with the Army Corp of Engineers project of 1948. Urban development and a thriving sugar cane industry in South Florida also contributed to the problem. The current initiative to restore the Everglades is the hot topic today. The plan, proposed in 2000 by the Clinton administration, is the source of much debate in the Capital. The restoration project represents an unpresidented environmental goal, the largest in history. The presentation will assess the political and scientific conflicts surrounding the project, and its implications and expectations for the future of the Everglades.
This is a seriously hot topic in D.C. and Florida right now. Bush is paying very little attention to federal responsibilities to the state in the federal budget, and the financial agreement for the Everglades is still blurry. The intended completion time for the Army Corp of Engineers is 30 years, so it is interesting to watch the project evolve early in the process. Can it work? I hope so. I grew up in Florida in awe of the Everglades. And just the principle of the government and the state taking an interest (not to mention an $8 billion investment) demonstrates a level of commitment that did not previously exist for environmental issues.
-Outline-
I. Introduction.
a)Overview of the ecological complexity of the Everglades
b)The natural state of the Everglades is...
II. Body
a)What happened to the Everglades?
i."reclaiming" the Everglades
ii.Sugar cane industry pollution
iii.Urbanization (water shortage, runoff, natural flow?...)
b)Central & South Florida Project 1948
i.History
ii.what they did
c)The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan 2000
i. Gore/Clinton push for legislation
ii.what exactly will they do to restore the Everglades
d)Conflict and Disagreement
i.Washington D.C.
ii.Sound Science?
iii.Money
e)Conclusion
-Bibliography-
1."The Plan to Restore America's Everglades." Development of the Central & South Florida Project. 1948. www.evergladesplan.org/csfdevel.htm (27 Feb 2001).
2."A History of the Everglades." The National Journal. 22 July 2000: Environment 2385, Vol 32, No 30.
3.Sargent, Frank. "Senate Acts Wisely on Everglades." Tampa Tribune 30 Sept 2000, final ed. Nation/ World 14.
4.Clinton, William. "Statement on signing the Water Resources Development Act of 2000." Washington, D.C. (18 Dec 2000).
5.Enserink, Martin. "Plan to quench the Everglades' thirst" Science. (9 July 1999) 180.
For Further Info on this Topic, Check out this WWW Site: www.evergladesplan.org.
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