That commitment could be in environmental and economic jeopardy.
Greene this week outlined specific steps St. Joe will take to prepare for the gulf oil spill reaching its coastal properties.
In addition to retaining a "disaster response" consultant, the company will:
• Hire aerial photography and engineering firms to photograph St. Joe properties and collect and test soil samples before any oil arrives. The point: to empower St. Joe with extensive documentation if it needs to make any claims.
• Lower the water levels of St. Joe-owned lakes with outlets to the beaches, and place sand berms at outfalls isolating the lakes from the gulf.
• Retain the Shaw Group, a Fortune 500 company with environmental expertise, to help finalize preparations, track the oil spill, help in the management of oil spill contractors, and document any damage.
You can bet St. Joe will send a bill to BP for these added costs, plus any extra cancellations by tourists planning to stay in company properties.