Updated 8:11 p.m. Tuesday, December 15, 2009
By Paul Quinlan
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Port of Palm Beach efforts to build a warehousing and distribution complex that would serve South Florida's three seaports has come under mounting criticism in recent weeks from a competing port, potential allies and environmentalists.
Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades, which has outgrown the Port of Miami in shipping container volume, called the four companies who want in on the public-private development deal and their various proposals "inadequate," in a Nov. 24 letter to the state.
Hilliard Brothers of Florida and U.S. Sugar Corp, who together are one of the four bidders, recently suggested in their own letter that the Port of Palm Beach defer to the state's transportation and environmental agencies, who want the project put on hold until further studies are conducted.
And today, the Sierra Club demonstrated in downtown West Palm Beach, hitching a miniature horse to the back of a small wagon to convey that the port is "putting the cart before the horse" — at potential risk to the health of the Everglades.
Other environmental heavyweights, such as the Everglades Foundation, have threatened to sue if the project is sited too close to the Everglades or restoration projects. They want restoration plans drawn up before plans for an inland port.
Despite the push-back, port officials say the commission will vote as scheduled Thursday to select a private partner. Richard Pinsky, the port's lobbyist, dismissed the criticism.
"Everyone's making their voice heard," said Pinsky, who noted that the concept was proposed three years ago and studies are already completed.
The basic plan calls for building a campus of warehouses and distribution centers where goods could be sent from South Florida's three seaports by road or rail for unpacking and reshipment. Port leaders say the project will ensure South Florida captures part of the increase in mega-freighter traffic from Asia that's expected to flow to the eastern U.S. once the Panama Canal is widened in 2014.
Port leaders say that Panama Canal construction will not wait and neither should Florida. They also say an inland port could provide thousands of needed jobs — especially in the Glades area, where unemployment has surpassed 40 percent in some parts.
"The priority should always be with jobs and job creation," said Manny Almira, the port's executive director.
The Port of Palm Beach's inland port campaign has become increasingly quixotic since October, when Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Sole and Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos both urged the port to hold off until further study on where such a transport complex might go and whether it is needed.
"It's clear they are rushing things," said the Sierra Club's Jonathan Ullman.
Environmental groups fear the port will choose on Thursday to partner with Florida Crystals, the politically powerful sugar giant owned by the Fanjul Family of Palm Beach.
The Fanjuls are offering land they own south of Lake Okeechobee, which sits beside 73,000 acres the state is purchasing from competitor U.S. Sugar Corp. for future Everglades restoration. Crystals says its site will not interfere with state restoration efforts and that the Crist administration's opposition to the "inland port" is payback for Crystals' ongoing effort to have the court's block Crist's proposed deal with U.S. Sugar.
In its protest today outside the Palm Beach County Governmental Center, Sierra Club representatives called on the port to throw out Florida Crystal's site and hold off on development until restoration plans are drawn.
"They need to make the decision about Everglades restoration before they can make the decision about this massive industrial development," said the Sierra Club's Kay Gates.
paul_quinlan@pbpost.com
