Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness and Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center Designation Act
PL 105-82 (S.931), enacted 11/13/1997

I l l STAT. 1540 
PUBLIC LAW 105-82—NOV. 13, 1997 
Public Law 105-82 
105th Congress 
Nov. 13, 1997 
[S. 931] 
Marjory 
Stoneman 
Douglas 
Wilderness and 
Ernest F. Coe 
Visitor Center 
Designation Act. 
16 u s e 410r-5 
note. 
16 u s e 410r-7 
note. 
An Act 
To designate the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness and the Ernest F. Coe 
Visitor Center. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the "Marjory Stoneman Douglas 
Wilderness and Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center Designation Act". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(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 wide-
spread understanding of the Everglades ecosystem and ulti-
mately 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 drain-
age 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 Presi-
dent awarded Mrs. Douglas the Medal of Freedom on Earth 
Day, 1994; and 
(2XA) Ernest F. Coe (1886-1951) was a leader in the cre-
ation 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 
PUBLIC LAW 105-82—NOV. 13, 1997 
111 STAT. 1541 
(E)(i) Mr. Coe's leadership, selfless devotion, and commit-
ment 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 dem-
onstrated his commitment to establishment of Everglades 
National Park. 
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to commemorate 
the vision, leadership, and enduring contributions of Marjory 
Stoneman Douglas £ind Ernest F. Coe to the protection of the 
Everglades and the establishment of Everglades National Park. 
SEC. 3. MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS WILDERNESS. 
16 USC 1132 
(a) REDESIGNATION.—Section 401(3) of the National Parks and 
Recreation Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-625; 92 Stat. 3490; 16 
U.S.C. 1132 note) is amended by striking "to be known as the 
Everglades Wilderness" and inserting "to be known as the Marjory 
Stoneman Douglas Wilderness, to commemorate the vision and 
leadership shown by Mrs. Douglas in the protection of the Ever-
glades and the establishment of the Everglades National Park". 
(b) NOTICE OF REDESIGNATION.—^The Secretary of the Interior 
shall provide such notification of the redesignation made by the 
amendment made by subsection (a) by signs, materials, maps, mark-
ers, interpretive programs, and other means (including changes 
in signs, materials, maps, and markers in existence before the 
date of enactment of this Act) as will adequately inform the public 
of the redesignation of the wilderness area and the reasons for 
the redesignation. 
(c) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any law, regulation, docu-
ment, record, map, or other paper of the United States to the 
"Everglades Wilderness" shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
"Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness". 
SEC. 4. ERNEST F. COE VISITOR CENTER. 
(a) DESIGNATION.—Section 103 of the Everglades National Park 
Protection and Expansion Act of 1989 (16 U.S.C. 410r-7) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
"(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.". 
I l l STAT. 1542 
PUBLIC LAW 105-82—NOV. 13, 1997 
SEC. 5. CONFORMING AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS. 
Section 103 of the Everglades National Park Protection and 
Expansion Act of 1989 (16 U.S.C. 410r-7) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(2), by striking "personnally-owned" 
and inserting "personally-owned"; and 
(2) in subsection (e), by striking "VISITOR CENTER" and 
inserting "MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS VISITOR CENTER". 
Approved November 13, 1997. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 931 (H.R. 136): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-328 accompanying H.R. 136 (Comm. on Resoiirces). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-68 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 143 (1997): 
Sept. 16, considered and passed Senate. 
Nov. 4, considered and passed House.