Florida Governor Ron DeSantis – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by YES Market Media
Following significant political and public outcry, Gov. Ron DeSantis is rescinding his administration’s plans to add golf courses, pickleball courts, and 350-room hotels to Florida state parks, at least for the time being.
DeSantis made his first comments since the state’s intentions were made public last week during a press conference on Wednesday, saying, “They’re going back to the drawing board.” “I would prefer not to pay money for this. We won’t make changes if folks don’t want them.
Top elected Republicans and Floridians from all throughout the state voiced their opposition to the “Great Outdoors Initiative,” which was unveiled by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection last week. Thousands of people signed anti-proposal petitions, and the proposal attracted hundreds of demonstrators to state parks.
Most significantly, it angered some of the most powerful Tallahassee residents inside his own party. Republican lawmakers, the legislature, and the cabinet quickly opposed the proposal after it was made public, which was unusual for them to oppose a DeSantis administration notion.
Although the proposals have previously been supported by the governor’s office and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, DeSantis said on Wednesday that the proposal was a “half-baked idea” that had never been approved by him.
This was disclosed through leaks. I never saw that, so I didn’t approve of it,” DeSantis stated. “Many of those ideas were unfinished and unfit for prime time. In an attempt to construct a story, it was purposefully leaked to a left-wing organization.
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of South Florida openly demanded a probe into the idea’s origins on Wednesday, following the governor’s repudiation of the concept.
“All documents related to this avaricious land grab must be made public, and the Inspector General must look into who exactly supported it,” the woman tweeted.
DeSantis has made an effort to establish an image as a governor who has championed the preservation of open spaces since taking office in 2019. He claimed that the plans were disclosed last week in an effort to discredit his record with a “phony narrative.”
DeSantis declared, “We’re not going into the golf course business in the state of Florida.” He went on to say that he would prefer not to see upgrades made in “any green spaces” when it came to state parks.
“As of now, nothing is approved. They’re going to return and pay attention to people, DeSantis declared.
There was also a shift in the administration’s tone. After criticism of the proposals started to mount on Thursday, DeSantis’ office issued a statement endorsing the proposal that had been leaked.
“We agree with Teddy Roosevelt’s belief that public parks should serve the public interest and enjoyment,” DeSantis’ press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, stated in a statement. “No administration has gone above and beyond what we have to preserve Florida’s natural resources, expand conservation areas, and maintain the purity of our environment. However, it is past due that we provide public access to public lands.
The DeSantis administration’s Florida Department of Environmental Protection also publicly defended the plans in social media posts, in addition to the governor’s office statement. The proposals were described as a developed proposal by the state agency. In contrast, DeSantis referred to it as a “half-baked” concept that wasn’t suitable for widespread use.
The state agency had planned public hearings across the state earlier this week to gather community opinion, notwithstanding DeSantis’ description of the intentions. Amidst intense criticism and objections from the public, MPs, and environmental groups, the public hearings were called off.
Some of those same environmental groups declared triumph, if only momentarily, following DeSantis’ remarks on Wednesday.
“DeSantis was compelled to rescind plans to develop Florida state parks following eight days of public outcry; tremendous credit to all those who banded together in opposition.” Nevertheless, we will not stop until the so-called Great Outdoors Initiative is eliminated. Friends of the Everglades executive director Eve Samples stated in a statement, “We and our allies will remain vigilant in defense of Florida’s natural lands, water, and wildlife.”
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
