#p

Big Cypress National Preserve was created in 1974 to stave off a proposed airport in the heart of the western Everglades. Now Miami-Dade County, whose land surrounds the preserve, finds itself with a cash shortfall and a proposal has been made to squeeze the money it lacks for airport expansion out of the very nature preserve that was set aside to prevent new airport construction - Big Cypress.

Under the proposal, Miami-Dade County would lease out the land for oil drilling — a cynical, grasping move that would undermine decades of preservation and be certain to hurt Florida panthers. Already one of the most endangered species on the planet, panthers depend on Big Cypress for living space.

For now, the proposal has been shelved at the last minute by Miami Mayor Carlos Alvarez due to public outcry. But though it won’t be discussed at the very next county commission meeting, this destructive plan could still be brought to life again. And we need to make sure that doesn’t happen.

So please, send a letter asking Miami's mayor to make sure this absurd and destructive idea to allow new oil operations in the Big Cypress National Preserve remains completely off the table.

Visit http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/p/dia/action/public/?action_... to take action now.