Yesterday the SFWMD Governing Board approved the long anticipated purchase of 73,000 acres of land from the US Sugar Company for $536 million.  The land will be used to treat, store and convey water to help with Everglades restoration plans.  Funding will come primarily from borrowed money that will be repaid from property tax revenues.

The existing plan is a scaled down and more affordable version of the original proposal.  The water management district has an option to purchase up to 107,000 additional acres from US Sugar and can work with other landowners to swap, buy or sell land to make restoration plans work.

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