County agrees to letter of support for potential Land and Water Conservation Fund acquisitions

County staff presented a pre-approval letter request from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service seeking county support for possible future Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) acquisitions in Okeechobee County. The request did not ask for county dollars; it asked only for a letter of support to facilitate the agency's use of federal LWCF funds if an opportunity arises.

The board asked clarifying questions and discussed prior easements and the county's existing conservation footprint. Staff noted that some easement types require county approval and others do not; commissioners agreed a letter of support would help preserve options. The motion to provide a letter of support (subject to county attorney review) was approved unanimously.