MIAMI — April 23, 2003 — Today Judge Hoeveler, has ordered a federal court hearing on May 2nd, regarding the Everglades legislation currently being considered in Tallahassee.

This is not an unusual practice for Judge Hoeveler. He often holds status hearings to ascertain information from the parties.

We are confident that at this hearing, facts will be presented showing that Everglades restoration is not only on schedule, but substantially ahead of schedule with respect to the settlement agreement and the national parks.

In 1995, Judge Hoeveler reviewed the Everglades Forever Act and found that it was consistent with the Settlement Agreement and Federal law and later conformed the Settlement Agreement to the Everglades Forever Act. The settlement has always contemplated that the state parties would take all actions necessary to achieve state water quality standards and that there are established state processes that determine those standards, through administrative rule making or the legislative process. The proposed legislation is simply a part of this process as it was for the Everglades Forever Act.

Those groups who objected in 1994 about the Everglades Forever Act are crying wolf again. They were wrong then. They are wrong now. Everglades restoration has been and continues to be very successful.