Take Everglades Action on Wed, Dec 5

From Jonathan Ullman of the Sierra Club & Build the Skyway:

On the afternoon of Wednesday, December 5, in downtown Miami, the future of the Tamiami Trail and the Everglades Skyway will be at stake, and we need you there. One day before the 60th Anniversary of Everglades National Park, the Corps of Engineers will show state and federal representatives that its plan for opening up the heart of the Everglades is to do basically nothing (see info below).

I’m asking you to spend a little more than hour of your day on Wednesday, Dec. 5 to be at the Hyatt Regency, 400 SE 2nd Ave. (map) at 2 p.m. and after the Corps’ presentation, speak during the public comment session.

Speak for Florida Bay and the manatees, speak for Everglades National Park and its 68 endangered species, and speak for the water that nourishes them. Our leaders have failed us. Now we must lead.

What: Army Corps of Engineers’ Tamiami Trail presentation to the State/Federal Everglades Task Force

Where: Hyatt Regency Hotel, 300 SE Second Ave., Downtown Miami (map)

When: Wednesday, December 5, 2007, at 2 p.m. (Corps’ presentation scheduled for 2:35 p.m. but it may run early.)

Who: Skyway Coalition members and supporters

Background and Talking Points:

The U.S. Corps of Engineers’ solution to restoring flow to Tamiami Trail is sadly to carve out 60 football fields down to the limestone south of the culverts under Tamiami Trail. Top scientists say that this will not come close to achieving the needed water for the park required by Congress this summer by July 2008.

A proposal by Everglades National Park, the Blue Shanty plan, to build a 1 to 2 mile bridge that would achieve Congress’ mandate and be compatible with the 11 mile Skyway, is being discounted by the Corps citing inflated cost estimates.

The Corps should choose the Blue Shanty Plan. This plan: can be done for far less than the 2 mile-1 mile bridge plan rejected this summer provides transition to the Skyway, and provides the Congressionally-mandated amount of water across Tamiami Trail by July 1, 2008.

The public is tired of inaction. We’ve waited 20 years to complete the Mod Waters project. The Blue Shanty Plan gets us there and provides a path for the full Skyway.