Yesterday we told you about how Florida just shelled out $1.75 billion to buy 187,000 acres of land from U.S. Sugar, a move aimed at protecting the Everglades. But just why is this such a sweet deal? The Everglades -- one of the largest wetlands in the world and a jewel of biodiversity -- has long been threatened by development, sugarcane plantations, bedrock mining, pollution, and diversion of the slow-flowing waters that percolate through the swamps from Lake Okechobee to the sea.

As a result, 67 endemic species are endangered, the wetlands cover half their historical extent, and the waters are polluted with pesticides and fertilizers. But the tide may have turned, so to speak, thanks in part to Florida Governor Charlie Crist, a Republican, who led the effort to purchase the land from sugar producers. With Crist's purchase, those industrial and agricultural lands will revert to waterways, swamps, and marshes, and the water will flow unimpeded to the sea.

US Sugar, one of the largest producers of sugar in America, gave up the parcel willingly, though it will continue to lease the land from the state for six years to fulfill various business obligations. Apparently, the deal was hammered out in seven months of secret negotiations with State officials. One wonders if those negotiations included any mention of the fact that US Sugar was recently banned from pumping phosphate-polluted water into Lake Okechobee, a violation of the Clean Water Act.

Crist's name has been bandied about as a possible running mate for John McCain, so this deal gives us hope that environmental protection and conservation might matter to more than just one set of candidates.