From: PO3::"SFER-L%UCF1VM.BITNET at UICVM.UIC.EDU" "South Florida Environmental R
eader" 17-APR-1994 19:11:39.33
To: Multiple recipients of list SFER-L <SFER-L at UCF1VM.BITNET>
CC:
Subj: Blockbuster plan endangering Everglades

Path: husc7!lee5
Date: 17 Apr 94 23:05:50 GMT
Message-ID: <lee5.766623950 at husc7.harvard.edu>
Newsgroups: sci.environment
Subject: Blockbuster threatening Everglades Wetlands, Please Read!
Keywords: wetlands, Everglades, Blockbuster

OVER 2,400 ACRES OF UNDEVELOPED WETLANDS CRITICAL TO THE
RESTORATION OF EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK IN FLORIDA IS ABOUT TO BE
DESTROYED. Blockbuster's Wayne Huizenga plans on draining them to build
an amusement park. NO Environmental Impact Statement is being required.

HOUSE BILL #1875, giving Blockbuster its own municipality and
over 450 acres of public wetlands for $1, has just passed the Florida
legislature. This gives them rights to their own taxing district, police
and fire depts, hotels, apartment buildings, etc., in addition to the
park. IT IS WITHIN GOVERNOR CHILES'S POWER TO VETO THE BILL, but without
a major public outcry, it is doubtful that he will resist Blockbuster's
lobbyists. The bill will reach his desk within the next few days, and he
must make a decision within 15 days of receiving it.

There are 2 main reasons for non-Floridians to be concerned:

1. IT WILL SET A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT FOR CONTINUED NATION-WIDE
WETLANDS DEGRADATION if, despite pledged federal commitment to Everglades
restoration, development interests are allowed to undermine wetlands
conservation efforts.

2. THE EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK IS A U.N. WORLD HERITAGE SITE AND AN
INTERNATIONAL BIOSPHERE RESERVE. It is a completely unique ecosystem; we
all have a stake in its preservation. It has already been severely
damaged by development and mismanagement and won't survive much more abuse.

Below I will elaborate on Blockbuster's plans and the danger to
the Everglades. HOWEVER, I FIRST WANT TO URGE YOU TO TAKE 5 MINUTES TO
ADDRESS A BRIEF LETTER TO GOVERNOR CHILES EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERN FOR THE
FUTURE OF THE EVERGLADES AND DEMANDING THAT HE VETO HOUSE BILL #1875,
which not only gives Blockbuster its own municipality in undeveloped
wetlands and free government land, but sets guidelines for other such
districts to be created.

PLEASE WRITE OR CALL: Governor Lawton Chiles
Executive Office of the Governor
(904) 488-4441 The Capitol
Tallahassee,Fl. 32399-0001

For more information, please email Patrick Lee (lee5 at husc.harvard.edu) or
Annie Fox (fox at cs.swarthmore.edu). We have or will soon receive:
- A copy of the full text of House Bill #1875
- Information from Blockbuster Headquarters further explaining their
plans.
- Information from the South Florida Water Management District regarding
the anticipated effects of Blockbuster's plans on the Everglades.
- Detailed descriptions of the area and the anticipated effects of the
park from Friends of the Everglades.
- Information on federal wetlands laws.

Please also drop us a brief e-note if you do write or call the
governor. This will help us get a feeling for how effectiveness posting
on the internet.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
On the following pages I will give more information.

BLOCKBUSTER'S PLANS

1. Included in the amusement park will be a hockey and a baseball
stadium, both paid for by South Florida taxpayers. Other plans include a
movie theater and other regular entertainment facilities in and around
the amusement park.

2. Additional roads, hotels, a sewage system, solid waste facilities,
and bridges will all need to be built around the park to support it, much
of which will by built using taxpayer funds. Furthermore, in receiving
municipality status, Blockbuster can build houses and apartment
buildings, a fire dept., and anything else it desires. It won't be long
before the entire area, not just the 2400 acres of wetlands being
immediately sacrificed, becomes urbanized.

3. There are alternative locations for the park in South Florida. It
may be less attractive to Blockbuster because it is not being given away.
(Blockbuster is receiving 450 acres of wetlands for $1.)

EFFECTS ON THE EVERGLADES AND DEPENDENT ECOSYSTEMS

1. Extensive canals and levies, massively rerouting water, have drained
much of the Everglades. What remains is suffering from the effects of
highly salinized water and agricultural runoff. The Everglades
Restoration Project seeks to reroute some fresh water through the
national park. In order to do this they need to find new areas for water
storage. One of the prime sites they want to purchase for this purpose
and add to the national park is the same land being given to Blockbuster.

2. The lack of fresh water being directed through the Everglades is not
only harming the wetlands, but it is also destroying Florida Bay, an
important estuary. The high levels of salinity have killed much of the
sea grass and fish, and the resulting excess of free nutrients cause
massive algae blooms.

3. The lack of sea grass and poor water quality is causing unprecedented
outbreaks of coral diseases and bleaching in Pennekamp National Park,
which contains the our only national coral reef. Unless this changes,
the reef won't last another generation. The Blockbuster Park alone won't
prevent the necessary rerouting of water, but it will definutely
significantly interfere with it.

4. If the Blockbuster municipality becomes a reality, it won't only be
destroying the wetlands on which it is constructed and depriving the
Everglades of an increased supply of vital fresh water. It will
inevitably interfere with restoration plans by demanding flood control
and increased water supply, which can only be accomplished by further
disrupting the water flow through the Everglades.

5. Since no Environmental Impact Statement is being written, measures to
minimalize the effect of the Bockbuster Park on the Everglades probably
won't be taken.

LOCAL ISSUES

1. The site of the proposed Blockbuster park is needed as a water
reservoir not only to help restore a more natural flow of water through
the Everglades, but to meet increasing demands for water in South
Florida. If urban water supply reserves aren't establish, the only way
to meet the future needs of the growing community will be to drain more
of the Everglades.

2. Dade and Broward County tax payers will be asked for over half a
billion dollars to build the sports arenas, plus additional money to
build road interchanges. Blockbuster will make money at the taxpayer's
expense.

WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO?

Besides calling and writing to Governor Chiles (phone # and address
provided above), there are several other actions that you can take.

1. SPREAD THE WORD! This issue is receiving virtually no publicity
outside of Florida. Talk with your friends about it, post copies of this
around your school/work. Conduct letter writing campaigns to the
Florida Governor. See if you can get this mentioned in local publications.

2. Demand an Environmental Impact Statement on this project. Write:
Carol Browner
Administrator of the EPA
401 M St.
Washington, DC 20460

3. Ask the Army Corps of Engineers to support Everglades Restoration and
block the use of the proposed site by Blockbuster. Write:
District Engineer
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Jacksonville District
P.O. Box 4970
Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019

4. If you feel strongly enough about this to boycott Blockbuster Videos,
go ahead and do it. No, we aren't expecting to get a full-fledge boycott
going, but it might tell them something if even a few people call them
and express that degree of displeasure. Call Blockbuster Headquarters:
(305) 832-3000

5. Write the Department of Environmental Protection, and ask them to
deny land drainage permits to Blockbuster.

Thank you again for taking the time to read this. Please do let
us know what action, if any, you decide to take and don't hesitate to ask
us for more information.

- Patrick Lee lee5 at husc.harvard.edu
Annie Fox fox at cs.swarthmore.edu