State and federal agencies will reassess the Everglades restoration effort, leading to possible cuts or slowdowns of some projects.

The South Florida Water Management District this week followed the lead of a key federal agency by ordering a formal ranking of its Everglade priorities because of money concerns caused by real estate and property tax problems around South Florida.

"The trade-offs are going to get rough here," said district governing board member Michael Collins. "Christmas is over."

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the primary federal partner in the restoration, recently launched a similar review.

Though state trust funds provide some $200 million annually for Everglades and related projects, water managers are concerned a shortfall could force political decisions on what to prioritize, so a priority list is expected in February (Curtis Morgan, Miami Herald, Dec. 13). -- SG