211 RESOLUTION No.
2
3 A Resolution of the Mayor and Commission of the City of
4 South Miami fully supporting the continued restoration of
5 America's Everglades and endorsing the National Park
6 Service's recommendation to bridge an additional 5.5. miles of
7 the Tamiami Trail; and providing an effective date.
8
9 WHEREAS, the South Miami City Commission recognizes that the restoration of
10 America's Everglades is critical to the long -term sustainability of south Florida's economy,
11 quality of life and environment; and
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13 WHEREAS, the two -lane Tamiami Trail highway (U.S. 41), constructed in the 1928 to
14 link Tampa to Miami, acts as a dam, blocking vital water flows from the greater Everglades into
15 Everglades National Park and Florida Bay; and
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17 WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. National Park Service, the Skyway Coalition,
18 the South Miami City Commission, and others recognize that in order to protect and enhance the
19 biological resources of Everglades National Park and Florida Bay and fully restore the
20 Everglades, an 11 -mile section of the Tamiami Trail bordering Everglades National Park must be
21 bridged to the greatest extent practicable to allow water to freely flow into the Park; and
22
23 WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress directed the National Park Service to "immediately
24 evaluate the feasibility of additional bridge length beyond that to be constructed pursuant to the
25 Modified Water Deliveries to Everglades National Park Project (16 U.S.C. 410r -8), including a
26 continuous bridge, or additional bridges or some combination thereof, for the Tamiami Trail to
27 restore more natural water flow to Everglades National Park (ENP) and Florida Bay and for the
28 purpose of restoring habitat within the Park and the ecological connectivity between the Park and
29 the Water Conservation Areas" through the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act (H.R. 1105; Pub.
30 L. 111 -008, dated March 11, 2009); and
31
32 WHEREAS, the National Park Service has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact
33 Statement (DEIS) for the Tamiami Trail Modification: Next Steps projects, as directed by
34 Congress, which identifies 5.5 miles of additional bridging as the preferred alternative; and
35
36 WHEREAS, the National Park Service's preferred alternative, alternative 6E, will
37 provide the largest measurable environmental benefits to the Everglades ecosystem and a
38 significant boost to South Florida's economy; and
39
40 WHEREAS, preferred alternative 6E will create key jobs in South Florida's engineering
41 and construction sectors; and
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43 WHEREAS, preferred alternative 6E will enhance the unique biological resources that
44 attract hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world to Everglades National Park
45 each year; and
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WHEREAS, preferred alternative 6E seamlessly integrates with the one -mile bridge
project currently under construction to restore water flow through the historic River of Grass and
to provide maximal environmental benefits to Everglades National Park, the State of Florida's
Water Conservation Areas and Florida Bay.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and City Commission of South
Miami, Florida that:
SECTION 1. The South Miami City Commission fully supports the continued restoration
of America's Everglades and endorses the National Park Service's preferred alternative 6E, as
described in the May 2010 Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Tamiami Trail
Modifications: Next Steps project, which recommends 5.5 miles of additional bridging on the
Tamiami Trail;
SECTION 2. The City Clerk of South Miami will forward a copy of this resolution to
Dan Kimball, Superintendent of Everglades National Park.
SECTION 3. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
DULY PASSED AND ADOPTED on this _ day of 2010.
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
READ AND APPROVED AS TO FORM
AND SUFFICIENCY:
CITY ATTORNEY
WAMy Documents\resolutions \Resolution EvergladesSkyway.Stoddard.doo
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MAYOR
COMMISSION VOTE:
Mayor Stoddard:
Vice Mayor Newman:
Commissioner Beasley:
Commissioner Palmer
Commissioner Harris:
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