8/13/2019 Florida NGO WRDA Conferee Letter 12.3.13

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December 3, 2013

The Honorable Corrine Brown2111 Rayburn HOBWashington, DC 20515

The Honorable Lois Frankel1037 Longworth HOBWashington, DC 20515

The Honorable Daniel Webster1039 Longworth HOBWashington, DC 20515

Dear Congresswoman Brown, Congresswoman Frankel, and Congressman Webster:

On behalf of the tens of thousands of Floridians our organizations represent, we urge you to use yourleadership position in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) conference to protect Florida’s oceans and coasts by supporting the National Endowment for the Oceans (NEO) and opposing anyeffort to undermine the National Ocean Policy.

From energy production to commercial fishing to shipping and transport, our modern Americaneconomy and millions of American jobs depend on our oceans and coasts. For example, in 2010,maritime economic activities supported 2.7 million jobs and $258 billion in GDP. 1 A significant amountof this economic strength relies on healthy ocean resources, particularly for Florida. Florida tourismemployed just over one million Floridians and generated $4.3 billion dollars in sales tax revenue in2012. 2 In addition, Florida ’s seafood industry employed over 108,000 Floridians and generated $5.6billion dollars in sales; while the boating industry alone employed over 200,000 people with aneconomic impact of $16.8 billion dollars in 2008. 3 A healthy ocean provides employment, directeconomic benefits, recreation, wildlife habitat, cultural identity, and indirect economic services likeprotection from natural disaster. With nearly 80% of the state’s employment in shore-adjacentcounties, 4 these benefits are vital to the local communities and economy of Florida.

The WRDA conference will consider two provisions that significantly impact Florida’s ocean and coastsand the economies that rely on them. We support the Senate-passed National Endowment for theOceans (NEO), which would help improve ocean health and maximize the economic benefits to ournation. We oppose the House-passed Flores rider, which would place damaging restrictions on the useof common-sense ocean management tools like smart ocean planning and ecosystem-based

1 National Ocean Economic Program. 2010. [oceaneconomics.org]2 VISIT FLORIDA(R) Research. http://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/media/research.html 3 Economics of Fish and Wildlife Recreation Seafood Industry and Boating. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,Est. July 2011. http://www.myfwc.com/media/1496521/EconomicsOfFishAndWildlife-July2011.pdf 4 State of the U.S. Ocean and Coastal Economies, National Ocean Economics Program, 2009 (available here: http://www.oceaneconomics.org/Download/ ).

8/13/2019 Florida NGO WRDA Conferee Letter 12.3.13

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management. To maximize the benefits of a healthy ocean and vibrant economy, we urge you toinclude the NEO provision and strike the Flores rider from WRDA.

Following the recommendations of the bi-partisan U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy appointed byPresident George W. Bush, NEO (Title XII to S. 601) would authorize grants to state, regional, and tribalentities, as well as nonprofit organizations and academic institutions. The endowment would support

efforts to conserve and restore ocean resources as well as develop the baseline science, monitoring, andobservation data to facilitate sustainable uses that will create jobs and support coastal economies. Toenable this critical work, we urge you to support inclusion of the NEO provision in a final WRDA bill.

Conversely, we urge you to strike the Flores rider (Section 146 to H.R. 3080). Section 146 seeks toprohibit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a key coastal and ocean management agency, fromcoordinating with coastal states, other federal agencies, and the public as they engage in smart oceanplanning. Banning coordination between the Corps and these entities is misguided, especially in Floridawhere the Corps works closely with other federal and state agencies like the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService and the South Florida Water Management District. This rider infringes on the rights of states tocontinue using ocean planning as a tool in coordination with the Army Corps. Imposing such an arbitraryrestriction harms states, the Army Corps, and the ocean and coastal economy.

A healthy ocean that supports a strong Florida economy is a non-partisan choice. We urge you tosupport the National Endowment for the Oceans and oppose the Flores rider in conference.

Sincerely,

Dan ClarkCry Of The WaterCoral Springs, Florida

Scott Sheckman

FounderFriends of the National Ocean PolicyHallandale, Florida

Sandy DucaneOrganizing for Action BrowardDania Beach, FL

Ed TichenorDirectorPalm Beach County Reef Rescue

Boynton Beach, FL

Drew MartinConservation ChairLoxahatchee Group, Sierra Club

Matt SchwartzExecutive DirectorSouth Florida Wildlands AssociationFt. Lauderdale, FL

Tanya TweetonVolunteer / OrganizerSoutheast Florida Sierra Marine and WaterQuality TeamBroward County, Florida

Holly ParkerFlorida Regional CoordinatorSurfrider Foundation

Kristen Hoss(AKA Tanawha!) Education and Ecological ConsultantTanawha Presents LLC.North Lauderdale, Florida

Kristen HossExecutive DirectorYouth Environmental AllianceDavie, Florida

Dr. Ed SchwerinPolitical Science ProfessorFlorida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton/Ft. Lauderdale, FL