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A Central Florida congressman has put forward a proposal for the newest national park in the United States: the Florida Springs National Park.Congressman Randy Fine (R) has filed a bill in the U.S. Congress to create the nation’s 64th national park, consisting of the Ocala National Forest and several area springs, including Silver Springs and Alexander Springs.Fine said he’s an avid traveler to the county’s national parks, which include the Everglades in South Florida.”The idea of it is to commemorate our Florida springs and the surrounding areas on a level like the Everglades or Yellowstone or Yosemite,” Fine said. “Our Florida springs are something unique, not just to Florida but to the country.”He said designating the forest and springs as a national park, which would spread across multiple counties, would drive tourism, increase environmental protections and funding for the springs.Fine maintains recreational activities, including hunting and hiking, or kayaking at the springs, would be up for discussion, and the designation could perhaps be varied depending on the types of activities that occur.”Florida springs are unique on an international level,” he said. “They should be protected, and how do we build that into something that has a national designation that would transform this part of Central Florida?”Fine plans to announce the filing at a news conference Monday at Silver Springs.
A Central Florida congressman has put forward a proposal for the newest national park in the United States: the Florida Springs National Park.
Congressman Randy Fine (R) has filed a bill in the U.S. Congress to create the nation’s 64th national park, consisting of the Ocala National Forest and several area springs, including Silver Springs and Alexander Springs.
Fine said he’s an avid traveler to the county’s national parks, which include the Everglades in South Florida.
“The idea of it is to commemorate our Florida springs and the surrounding areas on a level like the Everglades or Yellowstone or Yosemite,” Fine said. “Our Florida springs are something unique, not just to Florida but to the country.”
He said designating the forest and springs as a national park, which would spread across multiple counties, would drive tourism, increase environmental protections and funding for the springs.
Fine maintains recreational activities, including hunting and hiking, or kayaking at the springs, would be up for discussion, and the designation could perhaps be varied depending on the types of activities that occur.
“Florida springs are unique on an international level,” he said. “They should be protected, and how do we build that into something that has a national designation that would transform this part of Central Florida?”
Fine plans to announce the filing at a news conference Monday at Silver Springs.
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