§410r–6 Boundary Modification

Summary

Adds about 107,600 acres to Everglades National Park as shown on the map numbered 160–20,013B dated September 1989, with that map kept on file at National Park Service offices for public viewing. The Secretary may get land inside the added area by gift, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or by exchange. Land owned by the State of Florida or its local governments can only be accepted as a donation. The Secretary may buy up to 10 acres outside the park from willing sellers near the East Everglades for offices, housing, maintenance, or other park needs, and that land will be managed as park land. Small boundary changes are allowed under 54 U.S.C. 100506(c) but must protect resources and cannot reduce total park acreage. If a parcel lies partly inside the new boundary, the Secretary may buy the part outside to avoid severance costs, and may exchange or dispose of unneeded land through the General Services Administration. Owners in the addition who say keeping their property causes undue hardship must be quickly and carefully considered. Congress authorized whatever money is needed to carry out these rules, but federal funds may pay no more than 80 percent of land costs and the State of Florida must provide at least 20 percent. At the Governor’s request, the Secretary may send federal staff and help for land acquisition in the Kissimmee River/Lake Okeechobee/Everglades basin; Florida must repay that help, and the payments received may be kept and used for park work. Key defined items used for a specific land swap are named here: Administrator (the General Services Administrator); County (Miami‑Dade County); County land (two County parcels totaling about 152.93 acres, Tract 605–01 and Tract 605–03); District (South Florida Water Management District); District land (about 1,054 acres in the Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area); General Services Administration land (about 595.28 acres called “Site Alpha” declared excess by the Department of the Navy); map (“Boundary Modification for C–111 Project, Everglades National Park”, number 160/80,007A, dated May 18, 2004); National Park Service land (about 1,054 acres in the Rocky Glades). Under the swap plan, the GSA land goes to the County in exchange for the County land going to the Secretary. Then the Secretary swaps the NPS land for the District land; the District will use the NPS land for the C–111 project and Everglades restoration. After those exchanges, the Secretary must change the park boundary to reflect the trades and keep the C–111 map available in NPS offices.