Stuart, Fla. – U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) today released the following statement:

“Yesterday the Governor made clear that he does what he says: he has a bold vision to fix Florida’s environment and improve our water quality. What’s also clear is that the board members of the South Florida Water Management District do not share this vision. The arrogance displayed over the past 24 hours by the board is indicative of how they have operated for the better part of the last decade—without transparency and with disdain for the people of South Florida who have been made to suffer through lost summer after lost summer. They have failed to exercise even the most basic, legally-required level of transparency, and therefore, should be removed for cause.”

BACKGROUND

In December, Rep. Mast, along with several environmental groups, called on the board to resign after they approved a lease for Florida Crystals—without advance public notice—on land intended to be used for the EAA Southern Storage Reservoir. Eric Eikenberg, CEO of the Everglades Foundation, called the move “illegal, shameful and undemocratic.”

Yesterday, Governor Ron DeSantis sent a letter to the board of the South Florida Water Management District requesting their resignations. Since then, several board members have publicly indicated that they will not heed the Governor’s request.

Rep. Mast served as chair of Governor-elect DeSantis’ environmental and agricultural policy advisory committee.

###