Signing Ceremony: Management Plan Endorsed

Comments from the people who spoke at the April 13, 2000 Signing Ceremony

"CHNEP helps fulfill the preservation of the harbor that began when the state purchased the mangrove shoreline from General Development Corporation and others in the 1970s."

— Rick Cantrell, Director, Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Fort Myers Service Office

"Terrific signing ceremony —

a tribute to the program staff, Management Conference committee members, and other volunteers who have worked so hard.

— Bo Crum, Section Chief, U.S. EPA Region 4

"The Charlotte NEP’s CCMP is our best effort to manage environmental quality in the entire Peace Basin."

— Don Ross, Member, Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Peace River Basin Board

"The signing ceremony capped a time for developing relationships and understanding between the coastal residents and those of us who live far up the Peace River. We believe that the Peace is a lifeline between us. And, we are committed to its healthy future."

— Doug Leonard, Executive Director, Central Florida Regional Planning Council

"It has been a real privilege to be a part of this coming together of all the communities throughout the Peace River Basin with the purpose of assuring a healthy ecology to turn over to our children so they can enjoy the same wonders that are the reason we call Florida home."

— Honorable Adam Cummings, Charlotte County Commissioner

With more than 200 citizens, elected officials, resource managers, and commercial and recreational resource users present, the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan was endorsed by members of its Management Conference.

The Plan began in 1995 when Charlotte Harbor was recognized as an "estuary of national significance" and was accepted into the National Estuary Program. The signing ceremony, held on April 13, 2000, at the Bayfront Center in Punta Gorda, celebrated the completion of the management plan and the beginning of action to restore and protect the estuary and its 4,700 square mile watershed.

The Plan uses a cooperative decision-making process to address diverse resource management concerns.

Committing To Our Future by endorsing the program’s management plan on behalf of cities, counties, agencies, and industry from throughout the seven counties in the Charlotte Harbor watershed are Seated, left to right: Jim Sampson, Don Ross, Commissioner Pat Glass, Director Tiffany Lutterman, and Robert Tewis. Standing, l to r: Charles Gauthier, Robert Kollinger, Commissioner Adam Cummings, sign, Gary Oden, Connie Jarvis, Cal Adams, Bo Crum, Richard Cantrell, Commissioner John Albion, Tomma Barnes, Jim Beever, Commissioner Shannon Staub, Ed Higby, and Steve Fabian. Top row, l to r: Medard Kopczynski, Wayne Daltry, Steve Brown, and Doug Leonard.