The fourth Sun Coast Connector meeting took place in Madison on Feb. 11, 2020 with lots more of the same heavy hype and pretty good sounding words. The emphasis was on environment and again we heard “minimal impact,” “no impact,” buffers,” “avoid critical areas,” “springs,” “endangered species,” “habitat,” “first magnitude.” Do you get the picture yet?
One of the many who offered public comments opposing these roads said something about not wanting language such as “avoid when possible.” She did not want meaningless protections, and that is precisely what the talk was about.
If we sound cynical, the reason is our state agencies have no credibility because their track record of following through on environmental promises is abysmal.
We can ensure there will be adequate environmental protections ONLY if we vote down the roads and that is what we must do.
Alternatives would be to use our current corridors and add more lanes and raise bridges to avoid flooding.
We don’t need Galvano’s developments, fiber optics, gas stations, strip malls and traffic jams. We don’t need Peterffy’s city in the wilderness of Taylor County. We don’t need millions more people attracted to Florida, where already we do not have enough water and working infrastructure for those already here.
Save the date of March 24 in Monticello for the next episode of our new toll road running through nowhere to get to nowhere on the Georgia line.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
