State Objectives

The Everglades Trust is committed to keeping Florida's water flowing clean and safe for nature and people.

Objective No. 1 - Florida Legislative Branch
Ensure continued funding for Everglades restoration and protect Everglades from harmful legislation:

• $100 million annually has been in the Governor’s budget since 2000
• Bonding is available as a back-up source
• Careful scrutiny to ensure the Everglades ecosystem is assured its water reservations as agreed to in the 2000 Restoring the Everglades, an American Legacy Act
• Protect the Everglades’ water supply from depletion and pollution by agri-factories and development

Objective No. 2 - Florida Executive Branch

• Continue to work with Department of Environmental Protection and South Florida Water Management District to make the right projects come on-line at the right time and for the right price

Objective No. 3 - General Public
The Trust is committed to factually informing those interested in the well being of America's Everglades:

• Inform the public about allies who have demonstrated their commitment to Everglades restoration
• Issue advocacy with other participating groups
• Use of media
• Candidate forums

Objective No. 4 - The Florida Judicial Branch
Keep Everglades restoration scientifically sound, on-time and legally valid, using the court system:

• Fought the sugar industry when it tried to stop the purchase of lands in the Everglades Agricultural Area
• Joined our partners to challenge the clean-up method adopted to reach 10 ppb (parts per billion) phosphorus standard
• Challenged the state’s ability – along with our sister organization – to tax innocent land owners to pay for clean-up of the sugar industry’s pollution under the Florida constitutional amendment: Polluter Pays law
• Currently representing an Intervener in the 1988 federal case as to whether Florida can unilaterally change a consent decree – changing the Everglades clean-up deadline from 2006 to 2016

Federal Objectives

Objective No. 5 – Funding of Restoration Projects
The Trust works to secure sufficient funding for Everglades restoration projects through the appropriations process:

• Secured more than $2 billion in federal funding for Everglades ecosystem restoration
• Working to secure the $200 million promised annually for restoration

Objective No. 6 – Federal Legislative Branch
The Trust works in Washington, D.C. to support legislative initiatives and federal rulemaking that will positively affect restoration of America’s Everglades. It also opposes legislative or rulemaking efforts that prove to be detrimental to the Everglades:

• Changing the restudy of Everglades restoration from a piecemeal project to a full ecosystem restoration
• Secured Congressional approval of the Restoring the Everglades, an American Legacy Act -Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
• Making sure that implementation of the tangible 168-plus restoration projects in this massive effort will bring about restoration and preservation of America’s Everglades
• Clarifying programmatic regulations – the blueprint for CERP – by including the proper interim targets and long-term goals

Objective No. 7 – Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)
The Water Resources Development Act is the vehicle by which projects are authorized by Congress:

• In 2000, 11 WRDA projects were authorized
• Lobbying to add two more projects for authorization: Indian River Lagoon and Golden Gate Estates
• Lobbying for project implementation

Objective No. 8 – Advocacy
Giving the Everglades an eternal voice:

• Participating in regular communication with congressmen and legislators as well as with leaders in federal departments and agencies, including the White House
• Building a solid network of Everglades supporters throughout the nation and the world