March 8, 2017

Tallahassee, Fla.—Associated Industries of Florida’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs Brewster Bevis released the following statement regarding the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources’ passage of Senate Bill 10:

"During today's debate on Senate Bill 10, it was abundantly clear from objections raised by members that the bill remains seriously flawed. Despite the amendment to the bill, it still spends billions on a plan that is not proven to adequately address the local water quality issues in coastal communities.

“It also has a negative economic impact on the communities south of Lake Okeechobee according to the bill's own cost estimate, which says, ‘converting the agricultural land to a reservoir will have an indeterminate negative fiscal impact to the sugar mills and local farmers due to the reduction in available farmland.’

“An independent analysis from the James Madison Institute confirms this showing the bill will cost Florida 4,000 jobs and $700 million. At a time when the Florida Legislature has been focused on job creation, the last thing we need is a job killer of this magnitude.

“The Senate should follow the science showing storage is needed at the source of entry to the north of Lake Okeechobee before buying additional land to the south."

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