Toll road recommendations draw mixed reactions
By Jim Turner | News Service of Florida via WMBB Panama City, Fox 35 Orlando, Lake City Reporter, Tampa Bay Business Journal, Daily Business Review
Recommendations approved this week about controversial toll-road projects planned to run through rural areas of Florida drew mixed reactions from two environmental groups that participated in task forces that reviewed the projects.
Excerpt: The reports drew a quick rebuke from a coalition of nearly 100 conservation groups and businesses that contend the review process has been flawed, favoring special interests over the needs of Floridians. “Spending any more time or resources on M-CORES (Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance, as the projects are dubbed) comes at the expense of completing a backlog of water quality and transportation infrastructure upgrades that address current needs,” the No Roads to Ruin Coalition said in a news release. “Investing in outdated transportation and urban sprawl development models is an irresponsible approach for a state on the front lines of climate change. Florida’s rapidly growing population depends on the environmental and agricultural resources that will be destroyed if these roads are built.” Among the coalition members are Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, Speak Up Wekiva!, the League of Women Voters of Florida, Friends of the Everglades, the Florida Wildlife Federation, the Florida Springs Council and Florida Conservation Voters.