EDITOR'S NOTE: Ellen Sugarman is a nationally known investigative reporter. She has given KWTN permission to serialize her new book about environmental terrorism in the Florida Keys. Here is a synopsis of previous chapters. For complete chapters, see our website: www.kwtn.com.
In Chapter 1, officials from County Code Enforcement, the Sheriff's Office and the Florida Marine Patrol— off-duty and in civilian clothes, but armed— pay an unofficial visit to property owners on Little Knockemdown Key. A few days later, the owners were cited, ordering them to tear down unpermitted structures— even though many of those structures had been there prior to the law requiring permitting.
In Chapter 2, Sugarman used Fantasy Fest as a backdrop to introduce us to her cast of characters. In Chapter 3, investigative reporter Kate Anderson hears about an allegfed conspiracy by multiple government agencies to take over private property in the Keys. In Chapter 4, she starts to look into it.
Chapter 5: Officials "raid" Little Torch Key. Chapter 6: Government officials charge a Sugarloaf resident with environmental infractions and, in Chapter 7, they take his house. Chapters 8 and 9: Kate's review of Code Enforcement records seem to reveal a pattern of deceit. Chapter 10: A lawyer tells a property owner, in jail on seemingly trumped up environmental charges, that he can get him off if he will sell his property cheap to the Conservation League.
In Chapter 11, Kate shares her suspicians with the editor of a local newspaper . Chapter 12: The editor suggests that she take a close look at Rev. Clive Farrell and the Conservation League. Kate and a freind head down to Bahama Village to hear Farrell address a meeting of Last Chance. Chapter 13: The meeting. Chapter 14: Kate meets Clive Farrell and asks for an interview. Chapters 15 and 16: The interview.
Chapter 17: Another government raid. Chapter 18: Kate does her homework. Chapters 19 and 20: She attends a Code Enforcement meeting. Chapter 21 and 22: We get a peek inside a Steering Committee meeting of the Conservation League.
People around the bar chimed in. "It's a police state." "Enviro-cops." "Enviro-terrorists." The blond woman continued.
"We weren't even allowed to build an elementary school, would you believe that? A school for our children. It might interfere with the deer habitat, putting up a school on Big Pine. Never mind that our kids are being bused all the way to Sugarloaf and the Sugarloaf school is way overcrowded. That don't count."
"Have you noticed the speed limits? Strictly enforced, 35 mph. At night only 25. Because the majority of deer fatalities, if you believe what the feds tell you, are from getting hit by cars. And they're endangered," a tall, slim man said, stepping over to the bar.
Sam had seen a sign back at the main road. `Deer Fatalities so far this year: 118.' Other signs as well, all over the Key. `Entering Key Deer Habitat. Caution.' `Deer Crossing.' `Roadside Feeding Kills.' `Unlawful to Feed Deer.' `Key Deer Territory.'
"Wait a sec," he said, waving a crust of pizza. "This doesn't make sense. If they want to keep the deer off the roads, why not build fences?"
"Why not, indeed," the elderly gentleman, Walter said. "It's a good question. We've asked it ourselves."
Andy nearly shouted. "Cause you could count `em, that's why not. It's a scam, all of it. To make us miserable, control our lives, drive us out. So they can get our property."
"Do you have any idea how much money is involved?" Blondie ventured. "Millions and millions."
Andy said, "Did you know there's a complete building moratorium on Big Pine? and Little Torch? No permits, no construction for the past three years. All in the name of the little deer, who the rangers say are endangered."
"Are they or aren't they?" Sam asked.
"Depends entirely on who you ask," Walter answered.
Andy jumped in. "Let's just say, we hear lots of different things when it comes to numbers. And, just look around while you're here. There are a helluva lot of deers."
Sam had to agree. Everywhere he went he saw them, plump little happy looking deer, about the size of dogs. They were extremely tame.
Geri spoke up in a small voice, with a frown on her sun-tanned placid features. "I was at a meeting of the Conch Coalition a few months ago. They had an expert, a professor from the University of Miami. I forget his name. But he claimed he'd been studying the Key Deer for years and years and they aren't endangered at all. He said there's about, what was it, Walter? A thousand deer?" She turned to her husband.
"Even more than that," her husband replied. "According to him, the whole count is bogus, the deer population is actually growing steadily. Of course, Fish and Wildlife refutes it. They insist the population is diminishing, down to only 300. But, they have no data to prove it. Now, if you consider 118 dead this year, out of 300? That just doesn't compute. He was in favor of a fenced in preserve. That way, they wouldn't get hit. Just like you said."
"That way, you could count `em, couldn't you?" Andy added, grinning. "He said the regulations all over the County are bogus."
Walter continued. "We want to force them to do a count. Bring in a neutral party, do an infrared survey. To check the veracity of their numbers. That would settle the question for once and for all. We've even offered to pay for it. They won't let us."
"How can they stop you?" Sam asked. "You're private citizens . . ."
"Oh, they can stop us," Andy assured him. "Ever hear of DCA?"
"Department of Community Affairs?" Sam said.
"Department of Communist Affairs is what we call `em," Mike said. "They can stop you from doing anything they want. They can have you arrested just for stirring things up."
"It's the DCA that got the county to halt building on Big Pine. They said it was because of traffic congestion. Then they lowered the speed limit, that created more congestion," Walter explained. "And they refuse to build a third lane on US 1. A passing lane, like on a lot of other Keys."
"Even the sheriff said we needed a third lane," a man at the end of the bar added.
Sam looked around at the faces to his left, then to those on his right. They had turned deadly serious. Not a trace of gaiety was evident. The paranoia was palpable.
"Actually," he said, "I just saw an interesting article about that in the Miami News."
"Yeah, reporter name of Kate Anderson," Andy said. "Lady's getting it right."
"She ain't afraid of nobody," Mike added. People around the room agreed.
"By the way, what's the Conch Coalition?" Sam asked.
"We're the Conch Coalition. Me and Mike. Barb, here," Andy answered, pointing to the blond lady. "Walter and Geri, most of the folks in this room. Bunch of people on Big Pine and some other Keys started it when this stuff started happening. We're trying to stop this takeover."
"That's what it is, a takeover," Barbara said. "If you ask me, we're the endangered species, us and our kids."
"Without much luck, I might add," Andy continued. "A little good press would certainly help. Are you interested in doing a story?" Sam said he was.
"Now, that would really help," Mike said, smiling. "You know who you should talk to? Jack Peterson. In Key West. He has a boat on Houseboat Row." Everyone agreed with the suggestion, some of them breaking into grins.
"Jack Peterson? Who's he?" Sam asked.
"Secretary General of the Conch Republic. See, they're about to declare war on the Conservation League."