佛州官方同意與美國最大蔗糖製造商達成新的土地交易條款，目的是要增加大沼澤 (Everglades)中廣大濕地的蓄水與流動力。
新協議獲得南佛州水利局(SFWMD)的核可，內容包括以13.4億美元的價格向美國糖業公司(U.S. Sugar Corp.)購買超過18萬英畝的土地。
這項協議是2008年6月宣佈條例的縮減方案，原訂是以17.5億美元將18.7萬英畝的土地與公司所有的資產收歸公有，其中包括長200英里的鐵路、新式工廠、製糖廠、柑橘果汁廠。
佛州州長克里斯特(Charlie Crist)11月12日表示他對新的協議感到滿意。站在已故作家兼大沼澤保育人士道格拉斯(Marjory Stoneman Douglass)在邁阿密的家門口，克里斯特說道：「一項土地採購案為綠草之河(River of Grass)與我們的政府創造了前所未有的機會。」 (註：River of Grass為道格拉斯在著作中對大沼澤的美稱。)
新條款中還包括以每英畝50美元的價格將土地回租給糖廠，租期為七個作物週期。此外工廠、糖廠、果汁廠、鐵路、辦公建物、設備與吉爾克里斯特郡(Gilchrist County)柑橘苗圃等仍歸美國糖業所有。
這是美國歷史上與環保有關最大宗的土地收購案之一，南佛水利局需要這18萬英畝的土地來保護佛州沿岸河口，大沼澤也將受到更好的復育與保存。
透過儲水與作業區域的管理系統，土地將會用於重建在過去歐克秋比湖(Lake Okeechobee)與大沼澤之間的連結。這項計畫期望在湖水處於高水位時，能夠減少有害物質從歐克秋比湖排放到佛州沿岸河流與河口。
環境保護者對於協商的結果感到滿意。大沼澤基金會(Everglades Foundation)副主席貝莉(Mary Barley)表示：「大沼澤基金會為州長克里斯特與南佛州水利局果決地推動這重要的土地收購案的努力喝采。州長克里斯特信守承諾。這歷史性的決議不僅為佛州居民、更為全國人民保存了大自然的寶藏。」
大沼澤基金會執行長福特漢姆(Kirk Fordham)提到：「我們正需要這劑強心針，讓美國這珍貴但卻受到破壞的生態系統更健康。佛州兩岸的居民也終於能夠跟這些汙染聖露西河(St. Lucie)與克盧薩哈奇河Caloosahatchee)河口的淡水汙染排放說再見了。」
這起土地收購案讓水利管理員在乾旱時有能力將更乾淨的水輸送到大沼澤，在雨量豐沛的時候有更好的蓄水力來保護自然系統，同時防止每年上千噸的磷流入大沼澤。
要求把水從大沼澤農業區回抽到歐克秋比湖，希望可以增加水源供應的清況將會被取消。區域管理委員會在2008年表決決議，在持續缺水的期間也不會將水回抽到湖中以確保水源品質。
Florida officials have agreed to new terms for a land deal with the largest U.S. producer of cane sugar to increase the availability of water storage and flow to the vast Everglades wetland.
The new agreement, subject to approval by the South Florida Water Management District, includes the purchase of more than 180,000 acres from U.S. Sugar Corp. at a price of $1.34 billion.
The agreement is a step down from terms announced in June, which included transfer to public ownership of 187,000 acres and all the sugar company's assets, including 200 miles of railroad, a state-of-the-art sugar mill, sugar refinery and citrus processing plant for $1.75 billion.
Florida Governor Charlie Crist said today that he is satisfied with the new deal.
"A land purchase creates unprecedented possibilities for the River of Grass and for our environment," said Governor Crist, standing outside the Miami home of the late author and Everglades advocate Marjory Stoneman Douglass.
The new terms include a lease-back of the land for $50 per acre, for a period covering seven crop cycles. The sugar mill, refinery and citrus processing facilities, railroads, office buildings, equipment and the Gilchrist County citrus nursery will remain the property of U.S. Sugar.
The 180,000 acres, one of the largest environmental land acquisitions in U.S. history, are needed by the South Florida Water Management District to protect Florida's coastal estuaries and better revive, restore and preserve the Everglades.
The land will be used to reestablish a part of the historic connection between Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades through a managed system of storage and treatment areas.
This is expected to reduce the potential for harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee to Florida's coastal rivers and estuaries when lake levels are high.
Environmentalists were pleased with the outcome of negotiations.
"The Everglades Foundation applauds Governor Charlie Crist and the South Florida Water Management District for decisively moving forward with this monumental land acquisition. Governor Crist kept his word," said Mary Barley, vice-chair of the Everglades Foundation. "This historic deal will preserve a natural treasure not just for the people of Florida, but also for the entire nation."
"This is just the shot in the arm we need to improve the health of one of America's most treasured, but troubled ecosystems. Floridians on both coasts will be able to say goodbye to damaging freshwater releases that foul up the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, " said Everglades Foundation CEO Kirk Fordham.
With the new land acquisition, water managers will have the ability to deliver cleaner water to the Everglades during dry times and greater water storage to protect the natural system during wet years. They will be able to prevent thousands of tons of phosphorus from entering the Everglades every year.
The need for back-pumping water from the Everglades Agricultural Area into Lake Okeechobee to augment the water supply will be eliminated. The District's Governing Board this year voted not to back-pump into the lake during the ongoing water shortage to protect water quality.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
