Opportunity for public input: The National Park Service is seeking your input on aquisition of lands owned by FPL within the East Everglades Expansion Area of Everglades National Park.

Dear Friends of Everglades National Park:

The National Park Service (NPS) is initiating an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate options and potential impacts for acquiring lands owned by the Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) within the East Everglades Expansion Area (Expansion Area) of Everglades National Park.

 Acquisition of FPL's lands in their undeveloped condition is needed to help facilitate the hydrologic and ecological restoration of the Everglades ecosystem.  FPL has owned about 320 acres within the Expansion Area since the early 1970s. Because the FPL property is currently undeveloped and is needed for ecosystem restoration and enhancement, the NPS is seeking to acquire the FPL property, manage it as part of the Park, and maintain it in its undeveloped condition.

 There are several ways to participate in this process and make your voice heard.

Public Meeting: The public is invited to attend a public scoping meeting on

June 22, 2011:

      Location:   Florida International University Stadium Club

                             11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, Florida 33199

      Time:            5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

The first hour of the meeting will be an open house and NPS staff will be available to discuss the project and answer questions. At 6:30 p.m. there will be a brief presentation on the project, followed by a public comment session.

Click “Read more” below to read the complete e-mail with links for both e-mail contacts as well as to be directed to official web sites for more information.

Dear Friends of Everglades National Park:

The National Park Service (NPS), in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, is initiating an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate options and potential impacts for acquiring lands owned by the Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) within the East Everglades Expansion Area (Expansion Area) of Everglades National Park. This will include the potential exchange of lands authorized in the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 and other reasonable alternatives. The NPS decision to be made at the conclusion of this process is whether to exchange NPS lands for FPL's lands within the Park boundary or to acquire FPL's lands by purchase, eminent domain, or by other means identified in the EIS.

The Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion Act of 1989 expanded the boundaries of the Park to include approximately 109,600 acres. That act and additional legislation authorized the NPS and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to acquire lands within the Expansion Area. Acquisition of FPL's lands in their undeveloped condition is needed to help facilitate the hydrologic and ecological restoration of the Everglades ecosystem.

FPL has owned about 320 acres within the Expansion Area since the early 1970s. Because the FPL property is currently undeveloped and is needed for ecosystem restoration and enhancement, the NPS is seeking to acquire the FPL property, manage it as part of the Park, and maintain it in its undeveloped condition.

The NPS began an Environmental Assessment (EA) process for the FPL land acquisition in June 2009. After careful consideration of public comment and the issues and analyses developed during the EA process, the NPS determined that there was the potential for significant impacts to the human environment from this decision. The NPS therefore intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

There are several ways to participate in this process and make your voice heard.

Public Meeting: The public is invited to attend a public scoping meeting on June 22, 2011:

      Location:   Florida International University Stadium Club

                         11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, Florida 33199

      Time:         5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

The first hour of the meeting will be an open house and NPS staff will be available to discuss the project and answer questions. At 6:30 p.m. there will be a brief presentation on the project, followed by a public comment session.

You may review detailed project information, including a Scoping Newsletter and directions to the meeting, and submit your comments electronically at the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment project website http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=37220. To submit comments, select “Open for Comment.”

A paper copy of the newsletter may be requested by calling the park at 305-242-7700. If prompted by voice mail, press “2” at 1st prompt and “1” at 2nd prompt to leave mailing information. Please state that you are requesting the newsletter for the Acquisition of FPL Lands EIS and provide your name and mailing address.

Written comments may also be submitted to:

      National Park Service

      Denver Service Center - Planning Division

      Attn: FPL Project Planning Team

      P.O. Box 25287

      Denver, CO 80225-0287

Public comments submitted during scoping for the EA in 2009 will be carried forward to this project and considered as part of scoping for this EIS. Anyone who commented on the EA is welcome to provide new, additional comments during the current public comment period.

The public comment period ends July 10, 2011.

Your opinions matter a great deal to us, and we look forward to hearing from you.

For more information or questions about the project, contact Brien Culhane, Chief, Planning and Compliance, at 305-242-7717 or by e-mail at brien_culhane@nps.gov; or Fred Herling, Park Planner, at 305-242-7704 or by e-mail at fred_herling@nps.gov.

Thank you for your interest in this project.

Abby Porter

Environmental Protection Specialist

Everglades & Dry Tortugas National Parks

40001 S.R. 9336, Homestead, FL 33034

Office (305) 242-7768 Fax (305) 242-7711

Abby_Porter@nps.gov