Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Martin County Tuesday to talk about python hunting, but briefly addressed the proposed Southland “Water Resource Project” (rock mine) in response to a reporter’s question.

“Our Department of Environmental Protection is not going to allow anything that is being done on that, which is obviously approved by Palm Beach County, to impact what we’re doing in the EAA,” said DeSantis. He was referencing the EAA Reservoir project, which is being built right next door to the 8,600+ acre site where contractor Phillips & Jordan wants to mine limestone on land mostly owned by U.S. Sugar and Florida Crystals.

“They’ve gotten a clear directive from me,” said DeSantis. “We’ll make sure it” — the rock mine — “will have no impact.”

As we noted in our open letter to Gov. DeSantis on the rock mine earlier this year, he sees the EAA Reservoir and Everglades restoration in general as his legacy. Should blasting from Southland’s mining operation harm the reservoir or other infrastructure — THAT will be his legacy.

We’re not reassured by his insistence that he won’t let the Southland project cause harm. Better to not roll the dice in the first place.

This was the first public update on the project in months. In August the Everglades Law Center filed suit on behalf of Tropical Audubon Society and two individuals to challenge the FDEP permit that would allow Southland to begin mining operations.

The “water resource” aspect of the project must go through the South Florida Water Management District approval process; Southland has not submitted an updated proposal to the district and has until Feb. 27 to do so.

But all along some rock mine opponents have said Southland doesn’t need to follow through on the water resources part of the project. If this is all about rock mining and only rock mining, maybe they won’t bother going through the charade.