Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act

Summary#

This bill would add about 34 miles of the Myakka River in Sarasota County, Florida, to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The river is split into eight named segments, and each segment is given a class (scenic, wild, or recreational). The Secretary of the Interior would administer the river in partnership with the Myakka River Management Coordinating Council. The bill says the Council’s existing Myakka River Wild and Scenic Management Plan counts as the required comprehensive management plan.

The bill allows the Secretary to enter cooperative agreements with Florida’s Division of Recreation and Parks, local governments, Sarasota County, the cities of North Port and Venice, and local planning and nonprofit groups. The Secretary may give technical help, staff support, and funding to update and carry out the management plan. The Secretary may only acquire land by donation or with the owner’s consent and may not use condemnation (eminent domain). The Secretary’s role through cooperative agreements would not make the Myakka River a National Park Service unit or a unit of the National Park System. The bill also adds an NPS representative to the Management Coordinating Council.

What it means for you#

• The bill designates specific parts of the Myakka River for protection and sets a management plan that guides how those river segments are cared for.
• Local and state agencies, nonprofits, and the Management Coordinating Council would work with the federal government to manage the river.
• Privately owned land in the river watershed would continue to be managed by the agency that already has jurisdiction, and the federal government cannot force landowners to sell land for this designation.
• The Secretary can provide technical help and some funding, but land purchases are limited to donations or sales with owner consent.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

Support for the bill, as stated in the bill findings, includes: a prior federal study found the Myakka River eligible for Wild and Scenic designation; the State of Florida passed its own Myakka River Wild and Scenic Designation and Protection Act; Sarasota County and the cities of Venice and North Port have land-use plans and ordinances that support protection; there is reported strong public, state, and local agency support; the Myakka River Management Coordinating Council endorses designation; and about 12 miles of the river lie in Myakka River State Park with an additional 22 miles of conservation land or easements in the watershed.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.