Everglades' Environmental Challenges #15 The very life of America's Everglades is at stake.The Florida Lesgislature must halt Big Sugar's Pollution of the Everglades Bill,protect taxpayers,and preserve our great American Tresaure. Everglades' Environmental Challenges #17 Two weeks ago,the sugar industry unveiled a massive campaign to allow powerful corporations to pollutte America,s Everglades for 23 more years without accountability and at taxpayer expence.In just days,sugar corporations hired more than 40 lobbyist including close confidents of speaker Byrd,Senator King,and Governor Jeb Bush. Everglades' Environmental Challenges #21 The Tampa Tribune called Big Sugar's bill,House Bill 1893/senate bill 62,a "sabotage"of Everglades restoration. Everglades' Environmental Challenges #22 Everglades Restoration is a partnership between the State of Florida and the Federal government representing U.S. taxpayers from around the nation.Phosphorus is a poison to our Everglades.Prominent Florida leaders os the U.S.House of Representatives last week wrote Governor Jeb Bush warning that federal funding for restoration might be jeopardized if Big Sugar's Pollution bill is not stopped,but the Governor has't stopped the bill yet. Everglades' Environmental Challenges #25 Here are the details of Big Sugar's Everglades Pollution bill: Delay restoration-precluding any discharge limits until 2026 Adopt a dirtier standard than the pollution limit necessary to clean up the Everglades-increasing permissible pollution by at least 50 percent Rule out new pollution treatment areas untill at least 2026 even if science says they are needed Incoporate a 300 page plan paid for by a speacial district controlled by sugar intrests that was not developed in public process Bypass the 1996 voter approved Florida constitution amendment that clearly says,those who pollute the Everglades should pay to clean up the Everglades.Instead the bill would extend a tax directed at innocent homeowners and businesses throughout Central and South Florida from Orlando to Key West. Undermine the Everglades restoration consensus and throw the whole effort back into litigation.Federal agencies that are key partners in Everglades restoration have been excluded from closed door meetings where sugar lobbyists and lesgislators have written bills and amendments. For more information,contact Jonathan Ullman,Sierra Club Everglades Representative,at 305 860-9888