Item O2 Co �� � .�� , BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Mayor David Rice,District 4
The Florida Keys Mayor Pro Tem Craig Cates,District 1
y Michelle Coldiron,District 2
James K.Scholl,District 3
u f Holly Merrill Raschein,District 5
County Commission Meeting
Judy 203 2022
Agenda Item Summary #10820
.D.111) QN ]IC]I['EM 02
BULK ITEM: No DEPARTMENT: BOCC District 4
TIME APPROXIMATE: STAFF CONTACT: Tamara Lamarche (305) 289-6000
NA
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of a Resolution urging the Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary to balance natural resource conservation and sustainable uses and to continue to engage
stakeholders from throughout the Florida Keys and beyond.
ITEM BACKGROUND: The 2011 Condition Report supported the need for additional
management actions that address the degraded conditions of some key habitats and living
resources in the FKNMS.
Due to the 2011 Condition Report and its obligation to adaptively manage its resources, FKNMS
is updating its management plan and regulations and released the "Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary: A Restoration Blueprint" (Restoration Blueprint) in 2019 to gather public input on
management and regulatory options that could help counteract the decline in resource conditions,
reduce threats, and, where appropriate, restore coral reefs, seagrasses, and other important
habitats. Public input was gathered and the NMS is coming back now with a revised restoration
blueprint plan to respond to that input. Additional public input will be documented over the
summer of 2022.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: BOCC passed Resolution#419-2019 in support
of the Florida Marine Sanctuary Restoration Blueprint project.
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
NA
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
DOCUMENTATION:
FKNMS Resolution July 2022
Resolution 419-2019 Marine Sancturary Blueprint
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Effective Date:
Expiration Date:
Total Dollar Value of Contract:
Total Cost to County:
Current Year Portion:
Budgeted:
Source of Funds:
CPI:
Indirect Costs:
Estimated Ongoing Costs Not Included in above dollar amounts:
Revenue Producing: If yes, amount:
Grant:
County Match:
Insurance Required:
Additional Details:
NA
REVIEWED BY:
David Rice Skipped 07/11/2022 3:21 PM
Bob Shillinger Completed 07/12/2022 10:35 AM
Lindsey Ballard Completed 07/13/2022 10:51 AM
Board of County Commissioners Pending 07/20/2022 9:00 AM
0
�Y h; Grrrurnrvimiare RmDrv°"aV� ��D�
+%-5,'r7Y'hPIIV rNluilr?rriru✓! dunWv
M
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION NO. - 2022
A RESOLUTION BY THE MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS URGING FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE
SANCTUARY TO BALANCE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION
AND SUSTAINABLE USES AND TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE
STAKEHOLDERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE FLORIDA KEYS AND
BEYOND; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, on November 16, 1990, Congress designated the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) to be protected and managed by the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and Florida
Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP); and
WHEREAS, the FKNMS is a national treasure and protects 2,900 square nautical miles
of unique and nationally significant marine resources, including most of one of world's largest
barrier reef ecosystems, 1.4 million acres of seagrass beds, 1,800 miles of mangrove-fringed
shoreline, and more than 6,000 species of marine life, including sea turtles, manatees, and
dolphins; and
WHEREAS, the FKNMS is hugely important economically and contributes $4.4 billion
annually to the state's economy, with approximately 60% of the Florida Keys economy directly
tied to marine-related activities; and
WHEREAS, the FKNMS' resources, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and some fish
populations, have been on the decline for decades due to impacts from increased use, marine
debris, pollution, lack of freshwater delivery to Florida Bay, intensifying storms, disease
outbreaks, rising ocean temperatures, and ocean acidification; and
WHEREAS,NOAA and FDEP' s current management of the FKNMS is based on its 1997
final environmental impact statement (EIS) and a 2007 revised management plan which
implemented sanctuary-wide regulations and established the nation's first comprehensive network
of marine zones following years of planning, design, and public input; and
Page 1 of 3
WHEREAS, the "Condition Report 2011 for the Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary," (2011 Condition Report) the most recent document of its kind, classified Sanctuary
water quality as"fair"or"fair/poor"and not improving,biologically structured habitats(e.g.,coral
reefs and seagrass beds) as "fair/poor" and declining, biodiversity as "fair/poor" and declining,
and key species (e.g., corals) as "poor" and not improving, and this was before onset of the
devastating Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease; and
WHEREAS, the 2011 Condition Report supported the need for additional management
actions that address the degraded conditions of some key habitats and living resources in the
FKNMS; and
WHEREAS, due to the 2011 Condition Report and its obligation to adaptively manage its
resources, FKNMS is updating its management plan and regulations and released the "Florida
Keys National Marine Sanctuary: A Restoration Blueprint" (Restoration Blueprint) in 2019 to
gather public input on management and regulatory options that could help counteract the decline
in resource conditions, reduce threats, and, where appropriate, restore coral reefs, seagrasses, and
other important habitats; and
WHEREAS, the FKNMS released the next iteration of the Restoration Blueprint, also
known as the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the "proposed rule" or the "draft rule," on July 12,
2022, with proposed actions to protect critical natural areas, improve zoning and marine
management, and build ecological resiliency in conjunction with ongoing restoration efforts as
well as sustainable uses, and
WHEREAS, the FKNMS is holding a series of public meetings for stakeholders to learn
more about the Restoration Blueprint and to provide public comment at those meetings and
through other mechanisms for 100 days between July 13 and October 21, 2022; and
WHEREAS,the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners(BOCC)recognizes the
biological, recreational, and commercial importance of the marine resources of the FKNMS, and
that protecting FKNMS resources is valuable not only for the environment but also for the
economy; and
WHEREAS, the BOCC recognizes that the special marine resources of the region, which
led to the area' s designation as a national marine sanctuary, contribute to the high quality of life
for residents and high quality visitor experiences, and that without these unique marine resources,
both quality of life and the economy of the Keys would decline; and
WHEREAS, the BOCC recognizes that public input is vitally important to determining
the future of the Florida Keys, has encouraged the public to engage in past FKNMS public
comment opportunities, and has encouraged FKNMS to take all comments into consideration.
Page 2 of 3
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, THAT:
Section 1. Monroe County supports the public engagement process for the FKNMS
Restoration Blueprint, urges FKNMS to continue to engage stakeholders from throughout the
Florida Keys and beyond, and urges stakeholders to participate by making public comments, all
with the end goal of balancing marine resource conservation and sustainable uses.
Section 2.Direct the Clerk to transmit copies of this resolution to the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Section 3. This resolution shall become effective upon adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County,
Florida, at a regular meeting held on the 20th day of July 2022.
Mayor David Rice
Mayor Pro Tem Craig Cates
Commissioner Michelle Coldiron
Commissioner James Scholl
Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein
(SEAL) BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Attest: KEVIN MADOK, Clerk OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By By
As Deputy Clerk Mayor David Rice
Approved for form and legal sufficiency
By Robert B. Shillinger, County Attorney
Page 3 of 3
MONROE COUNTY,FLORIDA
MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION NO. 419 -2419
A RESOLUTION BY THE MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS URGING FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE
SANCTUARY TO LISTEN TO STAKEHOLDER COMMENTS AND
SUGGESTIONS,AND TO NOT LIMIT PUBLIC ACCESS UNNECESSARILY;
AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, on November 16, 1990, Congress designated the Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary (FKNMS)to be protected under management of the National oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration(NOAA); and
WHEREAS,NOAA's current management of the sanctuary is based on its 1997 final environmental
impact statement(EIS)and a 2007 revised management plan;and
WHEREAS, the 1997 EIS and 2007 management plans implemented sanctuary-wide regulations
and established the nation's first comprehensive network of marine zones in the FKNMS after years of
planning,design, and public input;and
WHEREAS, in September 2011 NOAA published the"Condition Report"for the FKNMS,the first
attempt to comprehensively describe the status, pressures and trends of resources in the sanctuary and
should be used in conjunction with the more detailed summaries of the individual monitoring and research
programs(e.g.,zone monitoring program,water quality protection program, etc.); and
WHEREAS, the 2011 Conditions Report helps identify strengths in current monitoring efforts, as
well as factors that may require monitoring and potential remediation in the years to come and provide
guidance for future management challenges. For example, this report supports the need for additional
management actions that address the degraded conditions of some key habitats and living resources in the
sanctuary; and
WHEREAS, due to the 2011 Conditions Report, FKNMS is updating its management plan and
recently released "Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: A Restoration Blueprint" to help counteract
the decline in resource condition in the Florida Keys through a series of regulatory and management
measures designed to reduce threats and, where appropriate, restore coral reefs, seagrasses, and other
important habitats; and
WHEREAS,the FKNMS is holding a series of public meetings for stakeholders to learn more about
the Restoration Blueprint proposal and is accepting Public comments in person,online,and by mail through
January 31,2020; and
WHEREAS,after the public comment period ends,the comments will be reviewed,and NOAA will
formally propose a set: of draft regulations to establish changes. There will be another round of public
comments on the refined proposal. Subsequently, if NOAA moves forward with a final action, a final
environmental impact statement and final notice of proposed rulemaking will be published in the Federal
Register. That would be followed by an opportunity for review by the governor of Florida as well as by
Congress. It is expected that implementation of any final action to occur approximately three years
following public release of the Restoration Blueprint; and
WHEREAS, the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) recognizes the
recreational and commercial importance of the nnarine resources of the Florida Keys,and protecting these
Sanctuary resources is valuable not only for the environment but also for the economy;and
WHEREAS,the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners(BOCC) recognizes the special
marine resources of the region,which led to the areas designation as a national marine sanctuary,contribute
to the high quality of life for residents and visitor, without these unique marine resources, the quality of
both life and the economy of the Keys would decline;and
WHEREAS,the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners(BOCC)recognizes Public input
is vitally important determine the future of the Florida Keys and strongly encourages FKNMS to listen to
stakeholder Comments and suggestions,and to not limit public access unnecessarily;and
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY,FLORIDA*
Section 1. Monroe County urges Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to listen to stakeholder
comments and suggestions,,and not limit public access unnecessarily.
Section 2. Direct the Clerk to transmit copies of this resolution to the Florida Keys N-itional Marine
Sanctuary (FKNMS), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission(FWC).
Section 3. This resolution shall become effective upon adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida,
gat a regular meeting held on the?Oth day of November 2019.
Mayor Heather Carruthers Yet
Mayor Pro Tein Michelle Coldiron Yes
Commissioner Danny L. Kollaage Absent
Commissioner David Rice Yes
Coinnih;sionerSylvia J. Murphy Yes
� ' s BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
rp OF MONROE COUNTY,FLORIDA
iv
nj
MaAvt hair
x' cn
yam' �-/'
ATTES . KEVIN MADOK CLERK
DEPUTY CLERK MONROE COUNTY ATTORNEY
APPROVED A TO RM
OBE R SH ILLINGER
COUNTY AT-TO '--Y
Date:
2 Page