Everglades fears raised

Environmentalists want to keep federal oversight of Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge

State leaders’ push to evict the federal government from running the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge threatens to weaken protections for the Everglades, environmentalists warned Monday.

Environmental groups and community leaders are voicing concerns about the state proposthe al to oust the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from overseeing the refuge in Palm Beach County, which includes 144,000 acres of the northern reaches of the Everglades.

The South Florida Water Management District has called for the Feds to step aside because they have failed to stop fastspreading trees and vines that are at risk of overwhelming the refuge and its remaining Ever- habitat.

But environmental advocates, who held a community meeting near West Palm Beach on Monday night, counter that losing federal oversight could result in the state easing Everglades water pollution cleanup requirements, which could benefit the sugar industry.

Opponents of the change have also raised concerns about potentially losing public access to wildlife refuge, for everyone from tourists to students on field trips.

“A small group of men who are out of step ... have made a decision to cancel the lease,” former water district board member and longtime Everglades advocate Nathaniel Reed said. “If it goes under state control, there’s no guarantee that (water polluglades