Item N2 N.2
Coty f � ,�� ,' BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
�� Mayor David Rice,District 4
The Florida Keys � Mayor Pro Tem Craig Cates,District I
y Michelle Coldiron,District 2
James K.Scholl,District 3
Ij Holly Merrill Raschein,District 5
County Commission Meeting
August 17, 2022
Agenda Item Number: N2
Agenda Item Summary #10965
BULK ITEM: No DEPARTMENT: BOCC District 4
TIME APPROXIMATE: STAFF CONTACT: Tamara Lamarche (305) 289-6000
No
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of a Resolution requesting that the United States
Congress support robust funding for National Marine Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas within
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
ITEM BACKGROUND: The United States Congress established the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act in 1990 to protect the resources of the area, to educate
and interpret for the public regarding the Florida Keys marine environment, and to manage
human uses of the Sanctuary consistent with the Act.
The United States Congress is currently developing its fiscal year 2023 budget for the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including for Sanctuaries and Marine Protected
Areas.
Significantly increased funding is necessary to meet the goal of advancing conservation and
restoration in Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas, including the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: The Board passed Resolution 203-2022 July 20, 2022
supporting the public engagement process for the Restoration Blueprint (2022) of the National
Marine Sanctuary and urged the FKNMS to continue to engage in stakeholders from throughout the
Florida Keys and beyond.
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
DOCUMENTATION:
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N.2
Resolution 203-2022
Resolution Supporting Robust Funding for FKNMS August 2022
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:
REVIEWED BY:
David Rice Skipped 08/02/2022 1:31 PM
Bob Shillinger Completed 08/02/2022 2:45 PM
Lindsey Ballard Completed 08/02/2022 3:03 PM
Board of County Commissioners Pending 08/17/2022 9:00 AM
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MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION NO. 203 - 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 U,
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 Z
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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 0
barrier reef ecosystems, 1.4 million acres of seagrass beds, 1,800 miles of mangrove-fringed W
shoreline, and more than 6,000 species of marine life, including sea turtles, manatees, and N
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 0
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WHEREAS, the FKNMS' resources, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and some fish
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populations, have been on the decline for decades due to impacts from increased use, marine 0
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
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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
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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
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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 0
through other mechanisms for 100 days between July 13 and October 21, 2022; and
N
WHEREAS,the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners(BOCC)recognizes the Q
N
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
0
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.
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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.
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Section 2.Direct the Clerk to transmit copies of this resolution to the Florida Keys National CL
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 Yes
Mayor Pro Tem Craig Cates Yes
Commissioner Michelle Coldiron Yes
` a 2sa Commissioner James Scholl Yes
Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein Yes z
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Atte MADOK, Clerk OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
BY BY c14
A Deputy rk NLyor'Dg52kice
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MONROE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE 29=
{`Digitally signed by Robert B.Shillinger
DN:cn=Robert B.Shlllinger,o=Monroe County BOCC,
•� ""' _ Robert B. Shillinger�,ou=Monroe County Attorney,email=Shillinger- 0
>� boWynonroecounty-fl.gov,c=US
'1 ~Date:2022,07.21 11:30:01-04'00'
`-' J-- Approved for form and legal sufficiency
By Robert B. Shillinger, County Attorney
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RESOLUTION NO. __-2022
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A RESOLUTION OF THE MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS, MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
REQUESTING THAT THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS
SUPPORT ROBUST FUNDING FOR NATIONAL MARINE
SANCTUARIES AND MARINE PROTECTED AREAS WITHIN
THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC
ADMINISTRATION.
WHEREAS, Monroe County is a duly constituted County government having such
power and authority conferred upon it by Article VIII, Section 1 of the Florida Constitution
and Chapter 125, Florida Statutes; and
WHEREAS, Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas within the National Marine E
Sanctuary System comprise an essential network of more than 600,000 square miles of
protected waters held in trust for all people, conserving some of the United States' most
critical natural, historic, and cultural resources and promoting access for exploration and
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world-class outdoor recreation; and Q
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WHEREAS, Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas are vital to maintaining a
healthy ocean, addressing climate change and sea level rise, and sustaining valuable
coastal communities; and
WHEREAS, Sanctuaries generate $8 billion annually in local economies and
support numerous jobs and businesses in the fishing, tourism, recreation, and scientific
research sectors; and
WHEREAS, increased investments in Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas are
necessary to safeguard and enhance the ecosystem services and economic values these
protected areas provide to our communities; and
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WHEREAS, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary harbors unique and
valuable tropical marine ecosystems, including the only barrier coral reef in the
continental United States, mangroves forests, seagrass meadows, numerous threatened
and endangered species, and commercially and recreationally important species; and
WHEREAS, the coral reefs, seagrasses, and mangroves of the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary buffer Florida Keys and South Florida communities from the impacts of
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hurricanes and storm surge, with coral reefs providing flood protection benefits of $675
million annually; and
WHEREAS, the United States Congress established the Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act in 1990 to protect the resources of the area, to
educate and interpret for the public regarding the Florida Keys marine environment, and
to manage human uses of the Sanctuary consistent with the Act; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and surrounding waters
support diverse and interconnected habitats that are vital to the multi-billion dollar fishing
and tourism industry of the Florida Keys and South Florida, including commercial and
recreational fishing, snorkeling, diving, boat and equipment rentals, other tourism related
business, and taxable property values in South Florida; and
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WHEREAS, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary supports more than 43,000 2
jobs in the Florida Keys, and contributes $4.4 billion annually to Florida's economy; and
WHEREAS, the United States Congress is currently developing its fiscal year 2023 N
budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including for N
Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas; and
WHEREAS, significantly increased funding is necessary to meet the goal of
advancing conservation and restoration in Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas, z
including the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; and
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WHEREAS, Monroe County hereby wishes to convey its support for the robust
funding request of $87 million for Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas to ensure the
continued viability and success of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
0
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA AS
FOLLOWS:
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Section 1. Recitals.The above recitals are true and correct and are incorporated
herein by this reference.
Section 2. Supporting robust funding of $87 million for Sanctuaries and
Marine Protected Areas, within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. Monroe County, Florida hereby urges the United States Congress to
support robust funding for Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas, within the National
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Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the fiscal year 2023 budget to ensure
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sustained support for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. CL
Section 3. Authorization of Monroe County officials. Monroe County is hereby
authorized to take all necessary and expedient action to effectuate the intent of this
Resolution, including authorizing the Clerk of the Court to transmit a copy of this Resolution
to the following members of the United States Congress.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio - FL
284 Russell Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
U.S. Senator Rick Scott - FL
502 Hart Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510 2
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U.S. Representative Carlos Gimenez FL Dist. 26
419 Cannon House Office Building CN
Washington, DC 20515 CN
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Section 4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective immediately
upon its adoption, August 17, 2022.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe L-
County, Florida, at a regular meeting held on the 17th day of August 2022.
Mayor David Rice
Mayor Pro Tern Craig Cates
Commissioner Michelle Coldiron 0
Commissioner James Scholl
Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein
(SEAL) BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Attest: KEVIN MADOK, Clerk OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
0
By By
As Deputy Clerk Mayor David Rice
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