Restoration Progress: Chairman Dan O’Keefe Letter to Tampa Bay Times
November 27, 2016
When I picture environmental restoration, I sit in awe of the reservoirs and maze of canals that crisscross the lush landscape and feed clean water into Everglades National Park, and I stand behind the cutting-edge science and engineering that ensures all these components mesh to improve the quality of life for Florida families.
As chairman of the South Florida Water Management District's Governing Board, I know the best way to achieve our restoration goals is to follow the publicly vetted plan. For Everglades restoration, that's the Integrated Delivery Schedule, complemented by Gov. Rick Scott's restoration strategies. The IDS guides restoration efforts so that projects are completed in a way that benefits all Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan efforts. This provides predictability in budgeting money and transparency in investing billions of tax dollars.