The Lee County Commissioner meeting with the Cape Coral Councilmen today went very badly. The Cape continues to be completely successful in their ongoing efforts to prolong as long as possible restoration of the Ceitus Barrier. The Cape requested and the County Commissioners agreed to yet another six month study of whatever "issues" the contractors might "think" exist as relating to Barrier restoration. The contractors (which have now been written another blank check) have already wasted well over one-half million dollars and some five years on studies after studies--none of which have identified any way to restore historic fresh water flows through the mangroves other than restoration of the Barrier. In the meantime, Matlacha Pass has suffered tremendous environmental damage.
The time line on this controversy is reaching ludicrous proportions. The Barrier was essentially destroyed during Hurricane Charlie in August 2004. At first, the Cape set about a sensible process to repair it, but ran into objections from Cape Realtors and residents that saw profits in gaining direct access to the Gulf. The Cape position thus changed in 2007 to elimination of the Barrier.
Pine Islanders, Lee County, and practically every environmental group in SW Florida brought an legal action in March 2008 to restore the Barrier and maintain the NE Spreader System in functioning condition. We settled that action by Settlement Agreement, Second Amended Consent Order, and Environmental Management Agreement---all of which were agreed to by the Cape Government, all of which are are legally binding, and all of which require that the Barrier be restored.
So why, after all these years, are we still sitting on our legal rights and allowing the environmental damage to continue? More silly (and ridiculously expensive) studies, more delays, and more government officials desperately searching for a nonexistent compromise are not going to solve the problem.
A court action enforcing our legal rights is the only answer, and the sooner we do it, the sooner we can get started on repairing the environmental damage.
Phil Buchanan
email: coolcherokee@comcast.net
