Dear Gov

Open Letter to Governor Jeb Bush from Walt Reynolds

Dear Gov. Bush,

I am writing in response to an emergency meeting at the SFWMD complex that I attended on 4/19/2000. The meeting was advertised as being held to take immediate action on saving Lake Okeechobee from destruction and total collapse. In line with the agencies previous method of solving problems they decided to do more research. The lake reached this brink of collapse because of policy decisions and a policy change can save the lake if immediate action is taken. More studies and research will not solve the problem. There are plenty of long term courses of action in the mill but this requires a lowering of the lake TODAY not a month or several months down the road.

The wet season here in South Florida will begin in a few weeks and with the lake still at its higher level of 15.40 there will not be time to get the level down to the required 13 feet or less that will allow the vegetation to re-establish. It should be noted that the governing board of SFWMD did not even make an appearance at the meeting, instead electing to send their staff members to gather more information. This type of response is totally unacceptable and will be the death toll of a $100 million dollar economy generated from the lake by fishing and tourism. I beg of you to make the right choice and show the people that you intend to save this second largest lake in our country. Please issue a demand that the SFWMD immediately lower the water level.

If your shoe is on fire you don't take time to analyze the air quality from the smoke before putting your foot in the water to extinguish the flames. If we wait for more studies and information gathering as the SFWMD has proceeded to take as a course of action, the lake will be gone and with it one of the greatest bass fisheries in the world. One simple phone call from your office can save this lake. All the rhetoric and good intentions in the world will not save it, only action taken TODAY.

I thank you for listening to the fishermen and outdoors lovers of the world and pray that you will forget politics and lobbyist and make this call.

Sincerely,

Walt Reynolds, BASS Touring Professional

1650 Allen Rd.

Clewiston, FL. 33440

863-983-8692

copy emailed to the Governor of Florida 4/20/2000