美國佛州州長克里斯特1日表示，因財政艱困，州政府打算縮減之前所提出向美國糖業公司購買歐克秋比湖（Lake Okeechobee）以南土地的計畫。
這項土地收購計畫本來希望能夠在乾旱時期提供沼澤潔淨水源，並在雨量豐沛的期間能夠儲存更多的水量，並防止農業肥料用磷大量進入大沼澤而破壞生態系統。
州長克里斯特表示，他的新方案是配合當今財務的現實情況，可省下8億美元，一方面為復育計畫提供土地，一方面能保留上千個工作機會。他表示，這能讓環境保護和經濟現實取得平衡，以負擔得起的步調來徵收數百平方英里資產。收購的過程將由一次收購完成變為兩階段收購。
克里斯特於2008年6月24日宣佈南佛州水利局將會與美國糖業公司開始談判，討論收購歐克秋比湖以南土地，以利大沼澤復育。經過討論後，水利局理事會投票決定以13.4億收購超過18萬畝的農業用土地。但到了本月1日，新提出的方案比原來預計的經費還少－－水利局將先投注5億3000萬購得歐克秋比湖以南7萬2500畝地。
大約有32000英畝的土地正值柑橘產季，可在產季結束後一年內由水利局接收。美國糖業公司將以每年每畝150美元，至少7年的時間，回過頭來向水利局承租40500畝的地以作為甘蔗栽植。
水利局在10年內還有機會購買剩下107,500畝的糖廠產業作為復育之用。自從2008年12月起佛羅里達州未來幾個月內稅收預測下滑，經濟預測顯示財務並不穩定。
最新收購計畫的細節還在研擬當中，最後版本將會由南佛州水利局理事會於公開會議中審查及決定，也會提交美國糖業董事會同意。
In view of the tough economic climate, Florida Governor Charlie Crist said Wednesday that the state intends to scale back its proposed acquisition of land south of Lake Okeechobee from the country's largest sugar corporation.
The land acquisition is intended to deliver cleaner water to the Everglades during dry times, allow greater water storage during wet years, and prevent tons of the agricultural nutrient phosphorus from entering the Everglades, where it disrupts the ecosystem.
Governor Crist says his new approach incorporates today's fiscal realities by saving $800 million at closing, providing ready access to strategically located acreage for restoration projects and preserving thousands of jobs.
The proposal represents a balance for both the environment and the economy by allowing us to acquire hundreds of square miles of prime property in affordable steps.The acquisition will be made in two steps rather than one.
On June 24, 2008, Governor Crist announced that the South Florida Water
Management District would begin negotiations with U.S. Sugar to acquire vast tracts of land south of Lake Okeechobee for Everglades restoration. After deliberation, the district's Governing Board voted to accept a proposal to acquire more than 180,000 acres of agricultural land for $1.34 billion.
The proposal announced Wednesday is scaled way back from that initial
level.Under the new proposal, the district would initially invest $530 million for 72,500 acres of property south of Lake Okeechobee.
About 32,000 acres of that land, now in citrus production, would be available to the district within a year after closing. U.S. Sugar would lease back the other 40,500 acres of sugar cane land for $150 per acre per year for at least seven years.
The district would have an option to purchase the remaining 107,500 acres of U.S. Sugar property for restoration within the first 10 years after closing.
Since December 2008, Florida's revenue projections have dropped, with
economic forecasts indicating continued financial uncertainty over the coming months.
The details of the revised acquisition terms are still under discussion. The final proposed terms will be reviewed and considered by the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board at its public meetings. The final terms also are subject to approval by the U.S. Sugar Corporation Board of Directors.
