Florida Congress Members Demand Investigation into DeSantis's State Parks Plan
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As Members of Congress, we were deeply alarmed by your administration's "2024-2025 Great Outdoors Initiative" that proposed the addition of golf courses, pickle ball courts, expanded hotel and lodging and other commercial activities within Florida's award-winning state parks. We insist that your office immediately turn over all public records that would lay out how such a hasty plan was ever conceived and direct the Office of Inspector General to conduct an independent formal investigation into what state procedures were violated, and which private parties lobbied for and stood to benefit from it. Your proposal was quietly rushed into a public hearing process and timed to a summer travel period when residents were less likely to attend. It is also still not clear who is behind the plan. Given this destructive, veiled affront, the public is owed peace of mind, honesty and transparency.
Similar schemes were floated by your predecessor, current U. S. Sen. Rick Scott, who quickly jettisoned them due to overwhelming opposition. It would be political malfeasance to be ignorant of the massive public outcry over former Gov.
Scott’s failed attempt to misuse Florida’s parks. So, it appears this plan’s success relied on hiding it from our citizens. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s bid to bypass public input necessitates formal investigation. This corruption of our state’s natural treasures is not the future we envision for Florida. Our state parks should be preserved as sanctuaries, free from commercial encroachment, and remain havens of natural beauty and biodiversity.
We urge you to release the public records and start a formal investigation immediately.