"The Miccosukee Tribe's campaign against a federal overhaul of the Tamaimi Trail is about to move from the court of law to the court of public opinion - at least the members of the public who tune into conservative talk show host Sean Hannity's television show.

Dexter Lehtinen, the tribe's attorney, issued a brief statement Thursday that there was a "good chance'' a segment on the dispute would air on Hannity's show at 9 p.m.. Friday.

The issue: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to build a one-mile-long bridge to improve water flow under the historic road, which has bottled up the Everglades for decades. Last year, a federal judge in Miami sided with the tribe and halted the work, saying the agency had not done adequate analysis required under federal environmental laws.

The House last week passed a spending bill that including funding for the work and a tiny provision crafted to circumvent the Miccosukee lawsuit by exempting the agency from complying with any environmental laws on the project. Environmentalists support the long-delayed work and accuse the tribe ofs arguing both sides of the fence - urging restoration but repeatedly going to court to halt progress of critical projects."

Get the Story:
Naked Politics: Tribe takes Trail case to Fox (The Miami Herald 3/5)

FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act:
H.R.1105 | Text and Explanatory Statement

Related Stories:
Miccosukee Tribe opposes Everglades provision (2/26)