Staff has drafted a letter to the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board in response to public comments made at the regular meeting of the Governing Board on May 14^th, 2020.  Several comments provided during the meeting from several regional stakeholders and private interests included demands that the District include the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) “Savings Clause” to future water flow management by the District.  Similar comments were also provided in correspondence to Congress from these same actors demanding that legislative measures be taken to apply the Savings Clause to the Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule (LORS) process.  This would inure to the benefit of water supply users specifically, while protecting the failed status quo Lake Okeechobee system management, which the U.S. Congress and the State of Florida have sought to reform.  These failed status quo policies have catastrophically damaged the northern estuaries, the Everglades, and even Lake Okeechobee while directly conflicting with the original spirit and intent of Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 2000.   

While the City of Stuart has already provided a letter of support for a joint correspondence with Martin County to Congress regarding the CERP Savings Clause, this letter seeks to provide additional relevant information to the SFWMD in response to public comments made at their recent Governing Board meeting.  The claims made by representatives of several water supply users during the meeting directly contradicted more than two decades of policy reform and Congressional legislative intent.  Information contained in the response letter is designed to refute each of the primary claims made during that meeting with historical facts.  Upon adoption and authorization of the letter, staff would transmit a copy to each of the SFWMD Governing Board members while thanking them for their diligent efforts in providing meaningful policy reform during the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) review process, occurring through 2021.  Staff will also use this letter to encourage further dialogue with District Governing Board members in order to facilitate meaningful progress on water resource management.