16 U.S.C. § 410r–7 (CONSERVATION)
§ 410r–7. Administration
(a) In general
The Secretary shall administer the areas within the addition in accordance with sections 410r–5 to 410r–8 of this title and other provisions of law applicable to the Everglades National Park, and with the provisions of law generally applicable to units of the national park system, including sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this title. In order to further preserve and protect Everglades National Park, the Secretary shall utilize such other statutory authority as may be available to him for the preservation of wildlife and natural resources as he deems necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 410r–5 to 410r–8 of this title.
(b) Protection of ecosystem
The Secretary shall manage the park in order to maintain the natural abundance, diversity, and ecological integrity of native plants and animals, as well as the behavior of native animals, as a part of their ecosystem.
(c) Protection of flora and fauna
The park shall be closed to the operation of airboats—
(1) except as provided in subsection (d) of this section; and
(2) except that within a limited capacity and on designated routes within the addition, owners of record of registered airboats in use within the addition as of January 1, 1989, shall be issued nontransferable, nonrenewable permits, for their individual lifetimes, to operate personally-owned airboats for noncommercial use in accordance with rules prescribed by the Secretary to determine ownership and registration, establish uses, permit conditions, and penalties, and to protect the biological resources of the area.
(d) Concession contracts
The Secretary is authorized to negotiate and enter into concession contracts with the owners of commercial airboat and tour facilities in existence on or before January 1, 1989, located within the addition for the provision of such services at their current locations under such rules and conditions as he may deem necessary for the accommodation of visitors and protection of biological resources of the area.
(e) Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center
The Secretary is authorized and directed to expedite the construction of the visitor center facility at Everglades City, Florida, as described in the Development Concept Plan, Gulf Coast, dated February 1989, and upon construction shall designate the visitor center facility as “The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Center” in commemoration of the vision and leadership shown by Mrs. Douglas in the protection of the Everglades and Everglades National Park.
(f) Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
On completion of construction of the main visitor center facility at the headquarters of Everglades National Park, the Secretary shall designate the visitor center facility as the “Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center”, to commemorate the vision and leadership shown by Mr. Coe in the establishment and protection of Everglades National Park.
(Pub. L. 101–229, title I, § 103, Dec. 13, 1989, 103 Stat. 1948; Pub. L. 105–82, §§ 4, 5, Nov. 13, 1997, 111 Stat. 1541, 1542.)
heading: Amendments
text: 1997—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 105–82, § 5(1), substituted “personally-owned” for “personnally-owned”.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 105–82, § 5(2), substituted “Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center” for “Visitor Center” in heading.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 105–82, § 4, added subsec. (f).
heading: Findings and Purpose of 1997 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 105–82, § 2, Nov. 13, 1997, 111 Stat. 1540, provided that:
“(a) Findings.—
Congress finds that—
“(1)
(A) Marjory Stoneman Douglas, through her book, ‘The Everglades: River of Grass’ (published in 1947), defined the Everglades for the people of the United States and the world;
“(B) Mrs. Douglas’s book was the first to stimulate widespread understanding of the Everglades ecosystem and ultimately served to awaken the desire of the people of the United States to restore the ecosystem’s health;
“(C) in her 107th year, Mrs. Douglas is the sole surviving member of the original group of people who devoted decades of selfless effort to establish the Everglades National Park;
“(D) when the water supply and ecology of the Everglades, both within and outside the park, became threatened by drainage and development, Mrs. Douglas dedicated the balance of her life to the defense of the Everglades through extraordinary personal effort and by inspiring countless other people to take action;
“(E) for these and many other accomplishments, the President awarded Mrs. Douglas the Medal of Freedom on Earth Day, 1994; and
“(2)
(A) Ernest F. Coe (1886–1951) was a leader in the creation of Everglades National Park;
“(B) Mr. Coe organized the Tropic Everglades National Park Association in 1928 and was widely regarded as the father of Everglades National Park;
“(C) as a landscape architect, Mr. Coe’s vision for the park recognized the need to protect south Florida’s diverse wildlife and habitats for future generations;
“(D) Mr. Coe’s original park proposal included lands and waters subsequently protected within the Everglades National Park, the Big Cypress National Preserve, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; and
“(E)
(i) Mr. Coe’s leadership, selfless devotion, and commitment to achieving his vision culminated in the authorization of the Everglades National Park by Congress in 1934;
“(ii) after authorization of the park, Mr. Coe fought tirelessly and lobbied strenuously for establishment of the park, finally realizing his dream in 1947; and
“(iii) Mr. Coe accomplished much of the work described in this paragraph at his own expense, which dramatically demonstrated his commitment to establishment of Everglades National Park.
“(b) Purpose.—
It is the purpose of this Act [see Short Title of 1997 Amendment note set out under section 410r–5 of this title] to commemorate the vision, leadership, and enduring contributions of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Ernest F. Coe to the protection of the Everglades and the establishment of Everglades National Park.”