STATEMENT OF R. G. HENNINGSEN, SPORTSMEN & PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION Mr. HENNINGSEN. Gentlemen, my name is R. G. Henningsen and I wish to take the opportunity to thank the people responsible for this hearing. Mr. TAYLOR. Can you finish in 10 minutes? Mr. HENNINGSEN. Yes, sir. I sure can. I will not be quite as long as Jim Pace was. To my knowledge, this is the first impartial hearing, without political overtones, on the most important issue. However, we would like to know why these hearings cannot be held within the subject areas. I am acting as the spokesman for a recently formed group of very concerned citizens, sportsmen, and property owners in south Florida. This group of people is growing by the day, being forced into a common bond by the misstatements, untruths, and half-told presentation of the facts concerning the Big Cypress Watershed. There are approximately 35,000 landowners in the proposed area. There has never been the first inquiry as to their feelings or suggestions. Contrary to all the publicity, the vast majority of these people are not land developers, speculators, or despoilers of the Big Cypress Swamp. The average owner has less than 15 acres of land, and the majority of these people are working people. We are fighting for our constitutional rights to own this land just as others invest in other business ventures. We, as landowners, will be backed by more sportsmen and hunters and campers if they are ever given all the true facts concerning the Big Cypress area. The whole question of protection for this Everglades National Park was brought about by the fresh-water situation. The conservation groups, preservation people, and State politicians are all looking to add a few more feathers to their cap, in the guise of conservation at the expense of thousands of little people who can ill afford this loss. At the present time the Federal Government owes more than $340 million for land taken under similar circumstances. The last land added to the Everglades National Park, some 13 years ago, has not been paid for as yet. Final payment to some of these people will not come within their lifetime. To justify this land takeover, many misleading statements were made. One of them was this area supplied 56 percent of the water to the Everglades National Park. This area actually supplied about 10 percent of the park water and only affects 16 percent of the park in the extreme northwest corner. This 10 percent did not seem as impressive as the sponsors of the Big Cypress takeover would like, So we were told this area would become a water storage area. Over 350,000 acres of this land lies north of U.S. 41, the Tamiami Trail, and is not capable of becoming a water storage area. A most recent survey undertaken by a vice president of the Florida Wildlife Federation, and one of the more outspoken proponents of the land acquisition bill, proves by his own findings in an area untouched by any drainage, water completely covering the ground from 2 inches to 24 inches, disappeared within 9 days, with the exception of two small ponds. This expert opinion would indicate this is not a water storage area. Even with the restriction of the Tamiami Trail-U.S. 41—and the loop road, which often holds back a foot or more of water, this water still disappeared in this short time. Another false statement was the area abounds in wildlife. This is absolutely false. A documentary program made by ABC 2 years ago and nationally televised under the TV "They Cared for the Land," spent 2 days and traveled more than 25 miles in the heart of Big Cypress north of the trail-U.S. 41. They never saw a single animal, snake, or alligator. It is not unusual to spend a week at a time in this area and not see a single animal. This area was also portrayed as the home of the Seminole Indians. There is not a single Indian family living north of U.S. 41 in this subject area, with the exception of six families living along the Tamiami Trail-U.S. 41. Some of these Indians are buying their own land. Now, the attorney general of Florida made the statement the Everglades National Park would become a desert within 5 years if the land was not taken over. Gentlemen, the true story is the park receives in excess of 58 inches of rainfall per year average. (Geological Survey.) With rainfall like this, it becomes apparent another false impression is left with the people who do not have the facts. With these thoughts in mind, I would like to propose serious consideration be given to the real water storage areas, which lie west of Krome Avenue and east of the Everglades National Park, known as the Shark River Slough. This is a natural waterflow and storage area. This area is also the true Everglades and water flowing from this area flows all the way across the park. If this area were taken in. it would restore the natural flow of water to the park. If this area is left for development it will be most detrimental to the park. This area is already particularly diked and if completed as a water storage area would be more beneficial to the park and the east coast of south Florida, than 200,000 acres north of the Tamiami Trail in the Big Cypress Area. The Fakahatchee Strand, already being purchased by the State of Florida, is the natural water storage area for the southwest coast of Florida. The Big Cypress Area north of U.S. 41 and bounded by State Road 29 is a complete separate water system and does not supply either the Miami or Naples areas. In conclusion, I appreciate this opportunity to present these few facts and hope they will be considered before the final decisions are made. Gentlemen, on that map that I put up there you will notice some areas that have been shaded in with red pencil. I apologize for not getting this sooner but it was kind of short notice for me. That is the proposed area that we would like to see be taken over to protect the Everglades National Park, for we strongly feel the lands north of the Tamiami Trail do not belong in this system. It will save the Government quite a few million dollars if you just leave the parks alone like the Indians leave it alone. Mr. TAYLOR. The gentleman from Colorado. Mr. ASPINALL. What is your business, Mr. Henningsen? Mr. HENNINGSEN. I live in the heart of the Big Cypress Swamp. I have a ranch in the heart of the Big Cypress Swamp, the square in the middle of that area north of 41 as you can get. You gentlemen flying this helicopter yesterday—— Mr. TAYLOR. I understand that. Are you a cattle raiser? Mr. HENNINGSEN. I run a guide service. Mr. ASPINALL. You run a guide service? Mr. HENNINGSEN. Yes, sir. Mr. ASPINALL. And you represent how many people here this morning? Mr. HENNINGSEN. I represent at least 250 people north of the Tamiami Trail, in that immediate area. Mr. ASPINALL. Are they all guides? Mr. HENNINGSEN. No, sir. They are just individual landowners who have purchased that land to keep it like it is now. They do not want major development. They do not want any development. They want the land to stay like it is. We want exactly the same thing you folks want but we want the right to own that land. Mr. ASPINALL. You criticized the committee a little bit because we were not holding our hearings where all of you could get to them. Of course, you understand that only a few people can be heard in a hearing. Many people can send us personal letters if they wish to on a matter such as this and we will pay attention to it. I suppose what you had in mind was that we should have visited Immokalee; is that right? Mr. HENNINGSEN. No. But I thought Naples would be a little bit closer since that is closer to the subject area. Mr. ASPINALL. That is not too much farther. If you consider a district like mine, which is as big as all of New England, 28 miles is not very much. Thank you very much, Mr. Henningsen. Mr. JOHNSON. Just one question. You said you owned a farm. How large an acreage do you own north of the Mr. HENNINGSEN. I have one section land leased and I own 30 acres. Mr. JOHNSON. And you operate on about 700 acres, then? Mr. HENNINGSEN. Yes, sir. I have nothing on the section that is leased at all because of this particular land bill acquisition going along. Mr. TAYLOR. In connection with your guide service, do you take hunters and other people into the Big Cypress areas? Mr. HENNINGSEN. Yes, sir. I take tourists in, picture takers, and the bird watchers and everybody else. I take them all year long. I take them in by airplane, swamp buggies, anything you want. Mr. CAMP. May I Mr. TAYLOR. The gentleman from Oklahoma. Mr. CAMP. You mentioned in your statement a moment ago that you and the people you are representing are trying to do the same thing we are doing. Mr. HENNINGSEN. Yes, sir. Mr. CAMP. Would you be agreeable to keep the area in its natural state as it is now? Mr. HENNINGSEN. More than willing. Mr. CAMP. Would you also be willing to give an easement so we can retain it and you have the use of it? Mr. HENNINGSEN. Yes, sir; as long as I have that. Mr. ASPINALL. If my colleague will yield, you are not keeping it in a natural state when you use it like you do because yesterday from the helicopter I saw a lot of dune buggies, ruts and roads, and so forth, so that is not in a natural state. In other words, I can understand your position-do not get me wrong-but it is no natural state when you use it as you do. It is perhaps a part of private enterprise. I take no exception to that, but I think that we had better be just a little bit careful when we suggest that we are keeping it in its natural state. Mr. HENNINGSEN. If I may answer that Mr. ASPINALL. Certainly. Mr. HENNINGSEN (continuing). I do believe in all the bills that have been proposed that this area was to be turned into a national conservation area. Turning it into a national conservation area will not in any way eliminate one rubber-tired buggy track that runs down the soil grass or runs down any of the prairie grass that grows back in just a couple of days. It does not hurt a thing, sir. This has been going on for years. It will always go on. Mr. ASPINALL. You do not have to advise me on that. I understand that. But remember, if Congress takes this over, we can also set certain qualifications and limitations upon the use. Mr. HENNINGSEN. Yes, sir; I realize that. Mr. TAYLOR. One more question. You state you represent many property owners and they desire to leave the Big Cypress area just as it is. Mr. HENNINGSEN. Yes, sir. Mr. TAYLOR. Would they be willing to sign agreements with the Federal Government that they would not develop the land or change its character in any way? Mr. HENNINGSEN. Yes, sir. |