COMMERCIAL AIRBOAT OPERATIONS DAMAGING BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE

Please try to send in a short comment letter on the following action alert by 
June 3rd. Letters are critical because the NPS has strong local political 
support for continuing these destructive commercial airboat operations.

Thanks,
Brian Scherf
Florida Biodiversity Project




A group of commercial airboat operators that conduct airboat "thrill" rides 
to tourists have caused  wide-scale resource damage to the SW Addition Lands 
of Big Cypress National Preserve adjacent to Everglades City. Airboats have 
killed mangroves, caused extensive soil rutting in marshes, impacted 
wildlife, and prevented other boaters and canoeists from enjoying the area. 
The area is also designated critical habitat for the endangered Florida 
manatee and impact from airboats may have caused the deaths of three 
manatees. Besides the Manatee, the area is habitat for 17 other endangered, 
threatened, or Species of Special Concern . Airboat operators are making 
almost $3 million a year operating the rides while damaging sensitive natural 
resources of the Preserve. This is clear-cut case of public lands being 
degraded for private profit. 

The 729,000 acre Big Cypress National Preserve in southwest Florida is a 
national treasure and is administered by the National Park Service (NPS). As 
one of the largest public land areas in the east, it is a critical area for 
preserving biodiversity with 34 endangered and threatened animals and 124 
rare species of plants. Decades of mismanagement of off-road vehicle (ORV) 
use in Big Cypress National Preserve has resulted in significant damage to 
it's soils, hydrology, vegetation, and wildlife. Unlike a National Park, ORV 
use is a permitted regulated activity in the Preserve but the NPS is required 
to protect the Preserve's sensitive ecology. 

In response to the resource damage by airboats, the NPS has released an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) of the commercial airboat operations and the 
stated main objective of the EA is to continue these airboat tours instead of 
protecting the natural resources of the Preserve. The EA is completely 
inadequate and has been cleverly written to downplay resource impacts.
 
It's now time for the vast majority of the public who want 
responsible regulations placed on destructive airboat use to raise their 
voices and demand effective management. The NPS is now seeking public 
comments on the draft EA. We need the public to advocate the strongest 
possible resource protection measures by sending in public comments by June 
3rd. Please write and emphasize these major points:

* Because of substantial direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts a full 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required.

* The EA is inadequate because it does not include a reasonable range 
of alternatives such as passive uses which include canoeing and kayaking 
instead of airboat use. Recommend the passive use alternative.

* The EA fails to analyze specific management actions that would avoid and/or 
minimize adverse resource impacts such as prohibiting airboat use in 
sensitive wetlands, areas important to wildlife, when conditions are 
unsuitable, or conflicts with other recreational users.

* The EA fails to analyze the scale, rate, and intensity of airboat use in 
the SW Addition.

* The EA fails to analyze the way in which the airboats are operated 
including "thrill" maneuvers.

* The EA fails to analyze specific airboat impacts to soils, hydrology, 
vegetation, and wildlife in the SW Addition.

* Require closure of areas significantly impacted by airboats to allow 
recovery.

    Send your comments to:          For further info contact:

	Wallace A. Hibbard              Brian Scherf
	Superintendent                  Biodiversity Project
	Big Cypress National Preserve   rscherf350@aol.com
	HCR 61, Box 110 
	Ochopee, FL 34141 
	(941) 695-2000 

This document was prepared by Wild Wilderness. To learn more about ongoing industry-backed congressional efforts to motorize, commercialize, and privatize America's public lands, contact:

Scott Silver, Executive Director,
Wild Wilderness
248 NW Wilmington Avenue,  Bend  OR 97701
Phone (541) 385-5261    E-mail: ssilver@wildwilderness.org