In this article from the Miami Herald by Susan Cocking; Matthew Schwartz of the Sierra Club; Matthew recommended adoption of Alternative 4... A very scary recomendation in my opinion. Geoff W. Colmes

BY SUSAN COCKING
CLOAKING
Anglers, paddlers, bird watchers and campers have just over one month to get involved in the development of a long-term plan for managing the marine waters of Everglades National Park.

Three public hearings have been held over the past week on a suite of four alternatives for preserving marine resources in Florida Bay and the Ten Thousand Islands while allowing boating and fishing access over the next 20 to 30 years.

Four more meetings are on tap -- including a Key Largo session April 13 that will be on webcast -- before the public comment period closes May 15.

''We need your local knowledge to fine-tune these preliminary alternatives,'' park superintendent Dan Kimball told an audience of about 50 at South Dade Public Library on Wednesday night.

The four alternatives range from maintaining the status quo to limiting motorboat access. They emerged from a series of public meetings in 2007, along with two recent scientific studies documenting a two-fold increase in boating over the past 25 years and more than 325 miles of propeller scarring in park waters.

Except for Alternative 1 -- the ''do-nothing'' alternative -- the others call for mandatory education and permitting for motorboaters and paddlers, and increased law enforcement presence. Alternative 2 is the least restrictive of the 'action' alternatives, while the last two require boaters to use pushpoles or electric trolling motors in some areas and no motors at all in others. Alternative 4, the most restrictive, closes some waters to public access.

Park officials emphasize they are not committed to one alternative over the others, but foresee a mix-and-match approach to formulating a management plan.

Kimball told the group Wednesday night that park officials have not finalized details on how to implement the mandatory education and permitting system for boaters. However, National Parks Conservation Association spokesman Jason Bennis said his group, working with local fishing guides, has developed a free, online guide to safe and 'green' boating in Florida Bay called Eco-Mariner (ecomari

ner.org) that will go public on April 22.

Kimball emphasized that boater input is key to establishing boat channels -- especially in the proposed pole/troll zones in the bay.

Matthew Schwartz of the Sierra Club Broward chapter recommended adoption of Alternative 4.

''Therefore we'd have access and protection,'' Schwartz said. ``We can have channels in the bay, but at least you'll have a large area of restoration going on.''

Park planner Fred Herling noted that airboating is banned in national parks throughout the U.S., except for the East Everglades extension area accessible from Tamiami Trail. He said airboat operations will be addressed in the general management plan to be released next year.

The next public hearings on the revised preliminary alternatives will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the following locations:

• April 13 at the Key Largo Holiday Inn, 99701 Overseas Highway, Key Largo (webcast staring at 6 p.m. at www.nps.gov/ever; click on 'General Management Plan' link.

• April 14 at the John D. Campbell Agricultural Center, 18710 SW 288 St., Homestead.

• April 15 at Edison College, Building J, 7007 Lely Cultural Parkway, Naples.

• April 16 at IGFA Hall of Fame and Museum, 300 Gulfstream Way, Dania Beach.