NMMA asks members for Everglades restoration support

NMMA is asking members if they would be interested in adding their company name to a letter supporting the restoration of the Everglades.

The deadline is this Thursday, April 19. This outdoor recreation business letter is being led by NMMA’s partners at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP).

The broader intent of the letter is to show a strong base of business support from outdoor recreation companies and associations about why everglades restoration should be prioritized.

The letter is addressed to Congressional leaders and asks for an authorization of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir in the upcoming 2018 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The EAA Reservoir plan was recently submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their review.

However, before the project can begin it must be reviewed by the Corps, approved, and then submitted to Congress for authorization. In order to avoid a two -year or more bureaucratic delay, Congress needs to conditionally authorize the project as part of WRDA 2018.

The EAA Reservoir would increase water storage south of Lake Okeechobee as part of an effort to reduce harmful lake discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries.

These ongoing discharges are destroying vital habitat and sea life. The reservoir is an important step forward to ensure that the ecosystem in south Florida is preserved.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact NMMA’s Senior Vice President of Government & Legal Affairs Nicole Vasilaros or NMMA’s Director of Federal Government Affairs Mike Pasko.