Taking a fight to a state agency head is no easy task,
but this case is bigger than the Lake Worth Lagoon, because it threatens to open up un-permitted development anywhere on Florida’s awe-inspiring coastlines.
To put it briefly, the chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Mr. Rodney Barreto, is charged with protecting our fisheries and wildlife
—yet he is pursuing condo development on Lake Worth Lagoon that would mean filling or dredging a total of 16 acres. This would make room for 300+ residences, 2 marinas, etc, beside Singer Island and MacArthur State Park, and wipe out the current habitat sheltering manatees, young green sea turtles, bonefish, small sawtooth fish, manta rays and more.
When the top boss of a powerful state agency chooses to enrich himself at the expense of the environment and community
–in my honest opinion, it’s a terrible disservice and my main reason for doing this work. To me, this is exactly why Florida has a bad reputation for corruption in government, and the complete disregard for the state’s natural beauty and resources, in favor of money-making.
This may be a lengthy legal battle to stop these and other development plans for our Lagoon, but the animals can’t fight for themselves.
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