Florida governor slams Obama on eve of Everglades visit

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) sharply criticized President Obama for a backlog in federal funding for restoration of the Everglades.

Scott’s statement Tuesday came a day before Obama plans to use the Everglades as a backdrop for an Earth Day speech where he’ll highlight the impact that he says climate change has on national parks and the economy.

{mosads}“President Obama needs to live up to his commitment on the Everglades and find a way to fund the $58 million in backlog funding Everglades National Park hasn’t received from the federal government,” Scott said in a statement.

“This has caused critical maintenance delays in the Everglades to linger for over a year.”

Scott also criticized Obama for failing in his latest budget proposal to fund repairs by the Army Corps of Engineers to the dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee, which is “critical to the protection of south Florida’s estuaries,” he said.

“Our environment is too important to neglect and it’s time for the federal government to focus on real solutions and live up to their promises,” Scott said.

Scott has come under fire recently after a report that under his leadership, the state’s environmental agency has banned its employees from saying “climate change.” Scott has denied the report.