1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

This fragile portion of the Everglades ecosystem is vital to preserving Florida's natural heritage and must be protected from destructive development proposals like the so-called "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center. Situated amid Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve, allowing a massive prison complex in this area would irreparably damage one of the nation's most delicate environmental treasures. We were successful in stopping the proposed Everglades Jetport over 50 years ago, and that same spirit of conservation is needed now. This land is too precious to squander on ill-conceived projects that would inflict severe ecological harm. I urge you to take a firm stand against "Alligator Alcatraz" and any future threats to this region in order to uphold our responsibility as stewards of the Everglades for future generations.