Vice President Biden Visits Everglades, Gives Strong Support to Skyway
On April 23, Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Everglades National Park where he gave a great speech reaffirming the support of the Obama Administration for 6.5 miles of bridging of the Tamiaimi Trail to restore the flow of the River of Grass. It was his first trip ever to the Everglades.
Tamiami Trail serves as a dam, stopping the flow of water south to Everglades National Park.
"Everglades Skyway" is the name Sierra Club members affectionately call the bridging of Tamiami Trail, authorized by Congress earlier this year. The Obama Administration has started building the first mile of bridging.
Senator Bill Nelson, and Congressional Representative Alcee Hastings joined Biden for his tour of the Everglades.
Sierra Club Everglades Representative Jon Ullman and I were among 60 people invited to join the Vice President at the event -at the very spot where the work has begun to elevate the first mile of the Trail.
Jon and I each personally greeted the Vice President after his speech. When Biden shook my hand, he noticed my Sierra Club button and commented that Sierra Club was one of the few organizations that had always given him a 100% score for his voting record in Congress.
—Frank Jackalone, Sierra Club Senior Organizing Manager