Clewiston, FL — August 26, 2009 — U.S. Sugar Corporation applauded today’s 15th Judicial Circuit Court ruling authorizing the South Florida Water Management District to move forward with its plans to issue Certificates of Participation (COPs) to fund the historic acquisition of company lands for restoration.

“We are very pleased with the court decision today that validates the District’s authority to finance the $650 million needed to complete this critical River of Grass land acquisition so that Everglades restoration can move forward,” said Robert Coker, senior vice president, public affairs.

“There was little doubt as to the public benefit of acquiring this land for necessary water storage and water treatment to improve Lake Okeechobee, the Florida Everglades, and the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers and estuaries,” Coker said. “The South Florida Water Management District’s legal team, staff and supporting attorneys did an excellent job of presenting and defending throughout this lengthy legal process what has been an accepted and approved public financing mechanism.”

“Hopefully, now everyone can move forward so that Governor Crist’s great vision for the Everglades can be designed, engineered and constructed to protect South Florida’s natural resources,” Coker said.

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