US Sugar statement on recent court ruling re. Works of the District permits
CLEWISTON, FL – Feb. 11, 2014 ¬– We are pleased that the courts have again recognized that sugar farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area are meeting their requirements in cleaning the water leaving their farms.
Judge Canter has affirmed that EAA farmers have succeeded in not only meeting the clean up requirements of their water permits, but have averaged greater than 50% reductions in phosphorous – double what has been asked of them.
While Audubon has sought to disrupt and delay, sugar farmers have been cleaning water and collaborating with state and federal partners on projects to clean and protect our water resources.
“Now that this divisive issue is behind us, once and for all it is time for everyone to move on and to start working together on the approval and funding of solutions to problems in our water management system ¬– such as completing projects to protect our coastal estuaries and all of the Everglades,” said Robert Coker, senior vice president, public affairs.