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Gulf Coast Site Plan and Maintenance Dredging
Everglades National Park » Gulf Coast Site Plan and Maintenance Dredging » Document List
The National Park Service (NPS) announces the release of the Gulf Coast Site Plan and Maintenance Dredging / Environmental Assessment (EA). The site plan/EA incorporates the input received last spring as part of civic engagement and early coordination with Tribes, other federal and state agencies, and local government.
Everglades National Park proposes to address the damages resulting from Hurricane Irma at the Gulf Coast site of Everglades National Park by redeveloping the site facilities and supporting infrastructure. Some of the proposed site improvements were articulated and analyzed in the park's 2015 Final General Management Plan/East Everglades Wilderness Study/Environmental Impact Statement (GMP/EEWS). Additional improvements not previously considered, however, are needed to improve energy efficiency and site resiliency to climate change over the next 50 years.
The EA evaluates a no-action alternative and one action alternative, describes the environment that would be affected by the alternatives and assesses the environmental consequences of implementing the alternatives. Under the no-action alternative, the NPS would maintain the existing conditions at the Gulf Coast site.
Under the proposed action, which has been identified as the preferred alternative, the entire Gulf Coast site would be redeveloped. This include constructing a new visitor center; creating a new public entryway off Copeland Avenue; elevating the site to address tidal impact and seasonal flooding while increasing site resiliency, replacing existing bulkheads; expanding the marina basin; dredging the marina and boat channels; and installing a living shoreline. Ongoing maintenance dredging of the marina boat basin and boat channel would also be conducted in the future, as needed, to ensure safe navigation of vessels.
We invite the public to comment on this EA during the public review period through February 26. On the left column, click on "Open For Comment" to open the comments field.
Comments may also be mailed to the address below:
Everglades National Park
Attn: Superintendent, Gulf Coast Site Plan EA
40001 State Road 9336
Homestead, FL 33034
Thank you for your continued interest in the Gulf Coast site planning effort and Everglades National Park.
Sincerely,
Pedro Ramos
Superintendent
305-242-7717
Everglades National Park proposes to address the damages resulting from Hurricane Irma at the Gulf Coast site of Everglades National Park by redeveloping the site facilities and supporting infrastructure. Some of the proposed site improvements were articulated and analyzed in the park's 2015 Final General Management Plan/East Everglades Wilderness Study/Environmental Impact Statement (GMP/EEWS). Additional improvements not previously considered, however, are needed to improve energy efficiency and site resiliency to climate change over the next 50 years.
The EA evaluates a no-action alternative and one action alternative, describes the environment that would be affected by the alternatives and assesses the environmental consequences of implementing the alternatives. Under the no-action alternative, the NPS would maintain the existing conditions at the Gulf Coast site.
Under the proposed action, which has been identified as the preferred alternative, the entire Gulf Coast site would be redeveloped. This include constructing a new visitor center; creating a new public entryway off Copeland Avenue; elevating the site to address tidal impact and seasonal flooding while increasing site resiliency, replacing existing bulkheads; expanding the marina basin; dredging the marina and boat channels; and installing a living shoreline. Ongoing maintenance dredging of the marina boat basin and boat channel would also be conducted in the future, as needed, to ensure safe navigation of vessels.
We invite the public to comment on this EA during the public review period through February 26. On the left column, click on "Open For Comment" to open the comments field.
Comments may also be mailed to the address below:
Everglades National Park
Attn: Superintendent, Gulf Coast Site Plan EA
40001 State Road 9336
Homestead, FL 33034
Thank you for your continued interest in the Gulf Coast site planning effort and Everglades National Park.
Sincerely,
Pedro Ramos
Superintendent
Contact Information
Daniel Noon, Chief of Park Planning and Compliance305-242-7717