Everglades restoration continues to have unwavering support from the governing board and staff of the South Florida Water Management District. The state and the district already have spent more than $1 billion on phosphorus reduction and have made tremendous strides in cleaning up the Everglades. In addition, billions more are committed to implement the federal-state partnership to revitalize the Everglades ecosystem by increasing clean water supplies and restoring more natural flows.

Recently, opponents have attempted to oversimplify legal issues and incorrectly characterize the district's defense of a lawsuit now headed for a decision by the Supreme Court as "pro-pollution" ("No permit to pollute," editorial Sunday).

This federal case (commonly referred to as the S-9 case) involves a legal dispute about the inappropriate and unnecessary application of a federal permit process under the Clean Water Act. This process never was designed to be applied to the movement of water though a pump station. Also, all parties concede that the district -- through operation of the regional water management system designed to provide flood relief -- adds no pollutants to the water being moved.

When the Supreme Court recently agreed to hear the S-9 case, the district considered it another victory in the fight to clean up and protect the Everglades. Limited resources must be specifically focused and fully utilized to ensure that Everglades restoration is a success. The district will not allow the lower court decision to stand unchallenged, potentially forcing valuable, limited resources to be redirected to a federal permitting process designed for treatment plants and industrial polluters. The court's decision will have serious ramifications on how the nation's water control structures are operated for flood control and other purposes for the benefit of the public.

By aggressively defending this lawsuit, the district continues to demonstrate its firm commitment to maintaining complete focus and momentum on Everglades restoration.