Lake "O"

[HysteryDiagnosis]

Funny how often the "scientists" were/are correct while the politicians who are owned by the sugar industry get it wrong time after time. Reminds me of the interplay between the feds and the MIC.

Money may not be the root of all evil... but the love of money has certainly done its share of damage to your planet... and it continues to do so.


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2005/06/18/m1b_lakeo_0618.html

The groups delivered their threat in a letter Wednesday to the agency's Washington headquarters, with a copy sent to Interior Secretary Gale Norton. It gives the corps 60 days to fix alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act, including a failure to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on steps to protect the kite.

The red-eyed, snail-eating hawk is a symbol of South Florida's wilderness, but the environmentalists say it has all but vanished from the lake. Ultimately, they blame a 1978 decision by the corps and the district to raise the lake to increase water storage.

Some district scientists warned at the time that the extra water would wipe out fish-nurturing marshes and other vital habitat.

After that prediction proved all too accurate, the corps and district twice adopted rules that promised to bring down the water.

Now the agencies are considering yet another rule change, and the district's staff is proposing to lower the lake to drought-like levels by spring.

Despite those promises, environmentalists complain that the lake has largely remained high, mainly to benefit the sugar industry.

Among the alleged violations, the groups say the corps never formally consulted with the wildlife service about the damage from the high water after the kite's habitat began to suffer.

Such a consultation could result in binding requirements for the corps to protect kite habitat.