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STATEMENT cs
GOVERNOR harm or FLORIDA
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commas ON APPROPRIATIONS
UNITED STATES couoaass
MAY 10-11, 1962
It is my pleasure to again represent the State of Florida
in presenting our unified program or water resources development
to the Congress. I appear today not only as the Governor, but
also as the Chairman of the Florida State Board of Conservation,
which organization is charged by Florida law with the responsi-
bility for development of water resources. The Board is composed
of members of the cabinet, all of whom are elected officials. we
appear before you to emphasize the unanimity of our program. May
I have the pleasure or .introducing Our Board members:
(Here the Governor introduces the Cabinet members in attendance.)
We are pleased to note the consideration that the President
has given to Our state in recommending to you, through the Bureau
of the Budget, the appropriations for many of our projects as
requested last January. In all or those recommendations. we concur
wholeheartedly.
In supplementation to the program recommended by the
President, we seek your consideration for support of additional
Rivers and Harbors projects, some or which were not ready for
presentation to the Bureau of the Budget. These additional recom-
mendations do not represent an extensive amount of money, but they
do round out the program which we consider essential for the
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attainment of the national goals in our state, and they are all
within the stated capabilities or the Corps of Engineers.
FOUR RIVERS FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT FEB-CONSTRUCTION PLANNING
The Four Rivers Basin Flood Control Project, which is
generallylocated in Central and west Florida, has been developed
and recommended by the Corps of Engineers. It is our hope that
this project will be authorized by Congress during this session.
we ask your support or this project to the extent of $250,000 for
pro-construction planning, assuming the proJect does receive
Congressional authorisation. we in Florida are blessed with many
natural resources, but the safety of our homes and the development
of our economy are, in a large measure, dependent on achieving the
most effective use and management or these resources. Advanced
engineering knowledge, particularly in hydrology, must be utilized
to maintain a balance of these resources in the constant battle
against alternating floods and droughts, and conservation of fresh
water against salt water intrusion. The Corps of Engineers has
made use of its engineering knowledge to develop a long-range con-
servation plan. This plan will permit the maximum development and
use of land areas with conservation of available fresh water while
at the same time providing protection for the public and their
properties against both floods and droughts. We seek your support
of the Four Rivers Basin Flood Control ProJect in order to develop
and utilize our natural resources in the most efficient and effec-
tive manner. It is for these same reasons that we fully support and
request your continued support or the Central and Scuthern Flood
Control Program.
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HARBOR PROJECTS NEW CONSTRUCTICN
Thrcc Florida harbors recently surveyed by the Corps of
Engineers, at Tampa, Pensacola and Palm Beach, are or great
importance in the growth and development of our economy. Recom-
mendations have been made for their improvement. Only the Palm
Beach project is now authorized_ but we are asking that the Tampa
and Pensacola harbor improvements be authorized during this session
of Congress. we recommend funds be appropriated for these three
important projects.
HARBOR PROJECTS ma-cms'rmmxon WING
There are_two other Plorida harbor improvement projects of
national importance which the Corps of Engineers has recommended for
improvement and which we hope Congress will authorise, located at
Cape Canaveral and Key West. The Corps of Engineers has stated
only pre-construction planning capabilities on these two projects
and we reconmend your support to allow planning or the improvement
as soon as possible.
Banks HAW INLET m CONSTRUCTIGW
The existing jetties and bulkhead at the only Northern out-
let into the Atlantic Ocean from Biscayne Bay. site or the Port of
Miami. are in a very poor state or repair and could fail completely.
The very heavy traffic using this pass indicates the need for early
completion or the pro-construction planning and construction of
corrective works. The project was authorized in 1960 and pre-
eonstruotion planning can proceed concurrently with construction.
The cost of this project is shared equally between the Federal
Government and local intereste. Your support of this project is
recommended.
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1W JACKSQWILLE TO MIAMI CWSTRWTION
In addition to the President's recommendations for improving
the intracoastal waterway from Jacksonville to Miami. allowing
improvement or that portion of tne waterway from West Palm Beach to
Delrav Beach. we reduest that construction on this project be
undertaken to the extent or the Corps of Engineers' capabilities.
The additional funds will permit the award of a contract for
improvement of the Atlantic coastal waterway to its authorized
specifications from Delray Beach to Port Everglades. thus modern-
izing the Atlantic intercoastal waterway as far south as Fort
iauderdale. Florida. This improvement is particularly important
to the fast-growing. highly developed coastal area between Fort
Pierce and Miami where the traffic is already extremely heavy.
1W CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER To ANCLOTE RIVER CONSTRUCTION
The Corps of Engineers has selected the route of the inland
waterway along the lower West Coast of Florida. This alignment was
selected after considerable re-study and was approved by the
Congress. In this situation the West Coast Inland Navigation
District has the primary responsibility for acquisition of rights
or way and the implementation or local interest participation. The
problem of bridge relocations and highway realignment in the vicinity
of venice has been studied and assurances furnished the Congress that
these works would be completed at the proper time. All of the
rights of way for the 151mile stretch of this canal have been
acouired with the exception of 126 acres in the vicinity of Venice,
and the chairman of the West Coast Inland Navigation District has
advised me that legal proceedings to acquire this property have
already been instituted and that property will be acquired in due
course in ample time.
I believe that, in view of the action by local interests
and the stated assurances which have been furnished in regard to
the road and bridge :elocations. the Congress is fully Justified
in appropriating funds to complete the remaining portion of the
Canal along the West Coast of Florida.
IUU CARHABELLE TO ST. MARKS RIVER PLANNING SURVEY
The inland waterway along the Gulf Coast is authorized from
Brownsville, Texas, to the St. Marks River, but there is one short
stretch on the Eastern and between Carrabelle and the 8t.Marks
River, the exact route for which has not been selected. The Corps
of Engineers has stated a capability of performing the survey to
select the route during 1963., we request that you appropriate
funds which will allow this survey to be prepared.
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There are four flood control projects in South-central
Florida of great importance For protection or the people and the
property in that area. They are within the Central and Southern
Florida Flood Control District. we request your support to allow
survey studies to be initiated on the Harman River, Econlocka-
hatchee River. the Middle River and the Haccasassa River.
NAVIGATION STUDY CRYSTAL RIVER CHANNEL IMPROVEMENT STUDY
There is one new navigation study that we consider or importance
to the developing industries in West Florida: the Crystal River
Channel Improvement. We recommend that you appropriate funds to
allow a study to be made of this six-mile channel improvement
project during the next Fiscal Year.
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csoss smarts BARGE CANAL CONSTRUCTION
We now come to the last and most important of our projects--
important to the growth and industrial development and support of
not only Florida and the entire Southeast, but a project with will
mutually support and be in the best interest of industrial
developments in the Atlantic seaboard, Gulf coastal, mid-continent
areas and the entire countrp. The proposed Cross Florida Barge
Canal will provide the vital.navigational link to connect the
inland waterways of the Atlantic coastal areas, the Gulf coastal
area and the inter-connected waterways of the mid-continental
United States.
The Corps of Engineers has restudied this project and has
estimated a reduction of $33,500,000 in the total cost of the
project, reducing its estimated,cost from $168,000,000 to $13k,
500.000. They have also reported that with the contemplated usage
of the canal a very satisfactory benefit ratio is established. A
transportation study made for the Corps of Engineers by a reputable
firm of consultants has predicted extensive use of the waterways
when this vital link is constructed, and indicates that the benefit
cost ratio utilizing the new construction cost figures developed
by the Corps will be in excess of four to one. These benefits
approach those which have actually been realized on the inland
waterways on the Texas and Louisiana coastal areas as would be
expected. Technical experts in this field identify the Cross
Florida Barge Canal as an asset essential to the full inter-related
economic development or this country, as well as being of insati-
mable value to our national defense in the event of an emergency.
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Let me re-emplasize that the Cross Florida Barge Canal was
authorized as a defense measure, regardless of economic benefits,
prior to the location or conception of Cape Canaveral, and the
defense necessity is obviously increased by that development. The
waterway is of great importance to NASA and to our national missile
program. Shipment or the massive missiles and heavy components to
thelannching sites on barges over the inland waterways has proven
to be the only practical method or transportation for these monsters
The Corps of Engineers has stated a construction capability
on this project of 3795.000 for Fiscal Fear 1963. We beg your
consideration to provide funds to allow construction of this worth-
while proaect.
CONCLUSION
I have tried to summarize my presentation by mentioning
only those Rivers and Harbors projects for which we seek yonr
consideration that supplement the President's recommendations.
However, I have prepared a statement for the record which contains
my recommendations and the full details on all the Florida projects
for which we hope to obtain appropriations in Fiscal Year 1963;
I will leave this statement with your Committee. If there is any
further information that you may desire concerning any of these
projects, or if there are any individuals or witnesses whose
testimony you may desire, I will be pleased to attempt appropriate
arrangements to meet your convenience.
Thank you for your courtesy in listening to our Florida
presentation.
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....... ..teCarmno h the consideration that tne President ommending to you, through the Bureau ions far mary of our proJacts as ll of those ree ymmendations. we conct the program recommended by the deration for support of additional some of which were not ready for the Budget. These additional recomn extenaive amount of money. but they
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-REN CONSTRUCTION cenLly surveyed by the CC and Palm Beach, are of gi veiermer.t of our economy. nelr improvement. Only t tut as ari-, asking that .ts be authorized during t a to appropriated for th -Pl-000STRUCTIOil PLANNING -ida harbor improvement .rps of Engineers has ree -engress will authorize, -he corps of Engineers ha capabi-ilties an these tw & allow plar.ning of the ;LET -hTa CONSTRUCTION .bulkhead at the only Noi a Biscayne Bay, alte of 1 of repair and could 051: le pass indicates the nei lon planntrg and cons trut was authorized in 1960 e c.d concurrently with con: BAKERS HAULO\ The existinG jettilet into the Atlantic Oces Miam1, are in a very paar The very heavy traffic usi completior. of tne pre-conc corrective works. The prc construction plar.ning can The cost of this pro.lect i
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