SouTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT December 2, 2016 ‘The Honorable Jean Monestime Chairman, Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners 900 NE 125" Street, Suite 200 Miami, FL 33161 Subject: Proposed December 6, 2016 Miami-Dade BOCC Resolution by ‘Commissioner Cava relating to land acquisition south of Lake Okeechobee Dear Chairman Monestime: The scheduled December 6, 2016 Resolution urging the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the South Florida Water Management District (District) to acquire lands for storage south of Lake Okeechobee conflicts with the Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS). The IDS serves as a roadmap for Everglades Restoration. The District has a long and productive relationship with the USACE and all interested parties working for many years to develop the IDS through a publicly vetted process. This schedule has proven to be a steady, reliable compass that guides and stages public expenditures for projects and maximizes the benefits of all Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) efforts. With IDS informed planning for storage south of Lake Okeechobee slated to begin in 2021, the suggestion to deviate from that schedule represents a distraction that could prove detrimental to ongoing restoration efforts joverning Board is committed to CERP implementation, through the IDS, and looks productive relationship with Miami-Dade County on water resource and 3801 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406 + (61) 686.8900 + FL WATS 1-800-492-2045 “Mailing Adres: P.O. Box 24680, West Palm Beach, FL 3416-4680 + wwwsfwmedgov