by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Plans for a $1.5 billion reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee, questioned by sugar farmers and House leaders, received overwhelming Senate approval after nearly three hours of discussion and debate Wednesday. A priority of Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, the bill (SB 10) seeks to lessen the recurrence of toxic green algae harming …
House Still Not Buying Negron Water Plan
by Jim Turner, News Service of Florida Revamped plans for a deep-water reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee, a priority of the Senate president, have improved the proposal in the eyes of House Speaker Richard Corcoran. But the House still isn’t ready to sign on to Senate President Joe Negron’s proposal, which is designed to reduce polluted water discharges from the …
EAA Farmers, Inc. Issues Statement on Passage of SB 10
A statement from Danielle Alvarez, spokesperson for EAA Farmers, Inc., following the passage of SB10 during the Senate Appropriations Committee: “Today’s amendment acknowledges what EAA farmers have said all along: a storage reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee can be accomplished within the existing footprint of state-owned lands without the need to acquire additional farmland. However, an EAA reservoir will not …
Senate Panel Signs Off on Revamped Water Plan
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida A revised measure that seeks to create a “deep” water-storage project south of Lake Okeechobee — and win support from the House and people throughout the Glades region — was overwhelmingly backed Wednesday by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The $1.5 billion measure (SB 10), which relies on federal money to cover half …
Negron Trims Controversial Water Plan
by Jim Turner, The News service of Florida Senate President Joe Negron on Tuesday toned down a wide-ranging water bill intended to protect his district’s waterways, as he sought to make it more palatable to House leaders and people living south of Lake Okeechobee. The Stuart Republican was joined by other Senate leaders in announcing an amendment to the measure …
Trumping the Army Corps?
by Lloyd Dunkelberger and Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Negron is banking on the owner of a certain waterfront Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach for help with a new reservoir. Negron said Wednesday he sees no need to change his pursuit of 60,000 acres of farmland in the Everglades Agricultural Area, after Col. Jason Kirk, the Florida commander …
House Cool to Negron Water Plan
by Jim Turner The News Service of Florida It appears doubtful the House will take up, as written, a $2.4 billion proposal by Senate President Joe Negron to buy land south of Lake Okeechobee to ease the impacts of polluted water releases into estuaries on the east and west coasts. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response …
Negron Water Plan Clears First Hurdle
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Senate President Joe Negron’s plan to buy farmland south of Lake Okeechobee to try to prevent the return of toxic algae blooms in Treasure Coast waterways drew unanimous support Tuesday at its first Senate committee. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement …
Sugar Farmers Balk at Selling Land for Reservoir
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Sugar farmers who own land in an area targeted by Senate President Joe Negron for a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee said Monday they won’t be “willing sellers” to the state. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities That Spark …
Negron Says Water Project Issue is ‘When and Where’
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Senate President Joe Negron appeared willing Tuesday to look beyond sugar farmland to carry out his proposal to acquire 60,000 acres to reduce the flow of polluted water from Lake Okeechobee into estuaries on both coasts. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle …