Resolution 108-2013W
Mayor Neugent
RESOLUTION NO. 108 - 2013
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
SUPPORTING THE CENTRAL EVERGLADES PLANNING
PROJECT (CEPP).
WHEREAS, the Everglades ecosystem provides crucial recharge to the Biscayne
Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for one in three Floridians including Monroe
County residents; and
WHEREAS, Everglades National Park and Florida Bay are two of Florida's natural
treasures critical to tourism in the Florida Keys, with over five million people visiting South
Florida each year; 30 percent of whom come from outside the United States; and
WHEREAS, fish and wildlife populations within Florida Bay and the Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary are under significant stress resulting from the draining and diversion
of water through the Everglades; and
WHEREAS, the Everglades ecosystem and the health of Florida Bay have continued to
decline in the face of years of restoration delays; and
WHEREAS, an expedited solution is underway to improve the quality, quantity, timing
and distribution of freshwater flows into the central and southern Everglades; and
WHEREAS, the goal of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) is to
significantly reduce planning times and deliver a finalized draft plan by May 2013, for a suite of
complementary restoration projects in the central Everglades that will provide additional flow
capacity to Everglades National Park and Florida Bay; and
WHEREAS, Congress has authorized an additional 5.5 miles of bridging which will
remove barriers to flow into Everglades National Park and Florida Bay; and
WHEREAS, CEPP and Tamiami Trail bridging will complement one another and
combine to improve water flows and support recreational angling in the Everglades region and
Florida Bay; and
WHEREAS, it is imperative that the State of Florida and the U.S. Congress lend their
full support and funding to help implement Everglades restoration to protect regional water
supply, create much needed jobs, and strengthen the local economy;
CORRECTED 3/12/13
Res supp Central Everglades Planning Project
(CEPP) BOCC 3/20/13 (3/8/13 (KP)
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I
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The Monroe County Commission supports the completion of a draft Project
Implementation Report (PIR) by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South
Florida Water Management District for the Central Everglades Planning Project
(CEPP) by May 2013, which will address key obstacles to flows and implement
meaningful ecological and economic benefits to the Florida Keys by restoring
America's Everglades.
Section 2. The Monroe County Commission supports the implementation and sufficient
operation of the plan that makes the most significant step toward water
conveyance and ecological benefits to Everglades National Park and Florida Bay.
Section 3. This resolution shall become effective upon the date of its passage and adoption herein.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe
County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 20th day of
March , 2013.
Mayor George Neugent
Yes
Mayor Pro Tem Heather Carruthers
Yes
Commissioner Danny Kolhage
Yes
Commissioner David Rice
Yes
Commissioner Sylvia Murphy
Yes
(SEAL)
ATTEST: AMY HEAVILIN, CLERK
Deputy Clerk
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
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CORRECTED 3/12/13
Res supp Central Everglades Planning Project
(CEPP) BOCC 3/20/13 (3/8/13 (KP)
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