Saving the Everglades

"An outstanding victory for conservation," said President Nixon last week as his Administration won a six-month fight to save Florida's Everglades National Park. The threat to the unique aquatic park was a huge proposed jetport that promised to pollute the park's water and destroy its ecological balance. Also at stake was the credibility of the Nixon Administration's future policies on conservation.

Now, under federal pressure, the Dade County (Miami) Port Authority has agreed that for three years local authorities may use a single runway already constructed for airline flight training, but only under strict federal supervision to prevent pollution. In addition, the training runway will be closed as soon as another site for the big jetport is found, presumably within three years. While the agreement "affirms the need to conserve our national heritage," said the President, "it does not deny the need for new airport facilities in Florida."

Most conservationists were jubilant; others were not so sure. Since twelve alternative sites have already been studied and discarded, skeptics questioned whether yet another will turn up during the life of last week's agreement. Even so, Washington is clearly determined to help Florida find a safe site before the agreement runs out.

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