At the Florida Trail Association’s most recent meeting of our Board of Directors, the board voted to submit a formal letter of opposition to the proposed oil drilling in Big Cypress National Preserve. We feel that the proposed oil well south of Interstate 75 and its corresponding access road will have a significant effect on visitors’ experiences on the Florida National Scenic Trail.
Adverse impacts of the proposed industrial-scale drilling could include but are not limited to significant modifications of the landscape within the foreground and middle ground viewshed along the trail in the form of ruts on and off the trail, destroyed vegetation, and visual impacts of vehicles. Additionally, the audible impacts of the drill pad and vehicles when added to the current impacts of I-75 and the nearby airstrips would take away from the remote wilderness opportunity Big Cypress National Preserve shares with visitors and wildlife.
Big Cypress National Preserve is a vital part of the Florida ecosystem and must be protected to ensure future generations can enjoy the Florida National Scenic Trail for generations to come. The Florida Trail Association will seek to preserve, protect, and promote the enjoyment of the trail in such a way that the natural, scenic, and recreational resources of the Trail are not adversely affected. To this end, the Florida Trail Association has asked that the Burnett Oil Company Inc.’s permit request to drill for oil in the preserve be denied.
Read the full statement from the Florida Trail Association Board of Director’ here.