Florida state parks are under attack.
On August 20, when the good citizens of Florida were focused on exercising their right to vote, Governor DeSantis’ FDEP announced a so-called “outdoors initiative” to start bulldozing swathes of nine of our precious state parks to develop commercial hotels, golf courses, and sports fields and courts. To add insult to critical injury, FDEP planned to collect public comment on these plans for one hour at eight simultaneous meetings just one week later, on August 27.
The public outcry from across the political spectrum was deafening. Sierra Club Florida, our partners, and Floridians of all walks of life who immediately understood what this attack on our state parks meant, started mobilizing to descend upon these meetings.
Then late in the day this past Friday, August 23, DeSantis’ FDEP announced that all of the previously scheduled public meetings were being postponed due to “overwhelming interest” in their plan. Really? It was actually overwhelming outrage compelling hoards of Floridians to flock to the paltry excuses for meeting spaces and times FDEP had provided to collect public comment.
Were we “heard,” because now FDEP is rescheduling the meetings at bigger venues? No!
If DeSantis “heard” us, he would have directed his FDEP to pull the plug on this universally despised proposal to destroy our sanctuaries of nature, not just reschedule public meetings.
Don’t give us new venues and dates for public meetings. Don’t spend more taxpayer dollars to promote private business ventures. Don’t prolong the debacle. The only thing DeSantis and his FDEP need to do—must do now—is call off this abhorrent “initiative” as quickly as they foisted it upon us.
Because we will never allow anyone to desecrate our beloved state parks.
Help us send our “call it all off” message today. Our Florida state parks should not be open for business.
