South Florida Ecosystem Restoration A Land Acquisition Plan Is Needed to Supplement the Strategic Plan Being Developed
Abstract
The South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Initiative is one of this country's most significant environmental endeavors. Restoring the ecosystem, which covers 18,000 square miles, or about 11.5 million acres, will take at least 20 years to complete. The South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, first established in 1993 by a federal interagency agreement and later expanded to include state, local, and tribal representatives, has been given the responsibility to coordinate and facilitate this complex, long-term effort. We are here today to discuss the Department of the Interior's actions in response to previous GAO recommendations to improve management of the initiative. We will also discuss our report,2 being released today, on (1) what the Task Force has done to identify and acquire lands needed to accomplish the goals of the restoration initiative and (2) what the Department of the Interior did to help ensure that it maximized the acreage purchased with $200 million set aside in the 1996 Farm Bill for the initiative. Today's report was requested by you and the Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; the Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; and the Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies, Senate Committee on Appropriations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 05, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA376030
Entities
People
- Jim Wells
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office