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RESOLUTION URGING THE U.S. CONGRESS AND THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO FULLY FUND BISCAYNE BAY COASTAL WETLANDS PROJECTS

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WHEREAS, the Greater Everglades Ecosystem is a globally imperiled habitat and the primary source of drinking water for Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project (CERP) is the largest ecosystem restoration effort in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the CERP is intended to restore fresh water sheet flows to Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park; and
WHEREAS, two projects on the list of 68 identified in CERP, the C-111 spreader canal and the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands rehydration projects, are the only elements of the restoration plan that rehydrate wetlands and restore the estuaries within Biscayne National Park; and
WHEREAS, full funding for all phases of both of these projects are critical to the restoration of Biscayne National Park; and
WHEREAS, these two projects are also critical to Miami-Dade County�s efforts to adapt to the projected impact of sea level rise that will cause additional saltwater intrusion in areas that are already experiencing significant saltwater migration several miles inland; and
WHEREAS, restoration of freshwater sheet flow feeding into southern Biscayne Bay will help hold back saltwater intrusion and improve the County�s resilience to potential climate impacts; and
WHEREAS, these projects are also both �shovel-ready� and �green,� making them consistent with early goals for federal economic stimulus funding,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges the U.S. Congress and the Florida Legislature to fully fund Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands projects, in particular the two projects critical to Biscayne Bay and Biscayne National Park: (i) both phases of the C-111 spreader canal and (ii) the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetland rehydration project.
Section 2. Urges the U.S. Congress and the Florida Legislature to prioritize funding for Everglades restoration projects in any economic stimulus package passed.
Section 3. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the members of the Florida Congressional Delegation, the Governor of Florida, the President of the Florida Senate, the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, and the Chair and Members of the Miami-Dade State Legislative Delegation.
Section 4. Directs the County�s federal and state lobbyists to advocate for the passage of the legislation set forth in Sections 1 and 2 above, and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this item in the 2009 Federal and State Legislative Packages.