ENVIRONMENTAL ALERT!!!                   DANGER! DANGER!                                                               

Space Florida and Governor Rick Scott want NASA to give the State control of 150 acres of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge property. They want to build a commercial launch site outside of NASA so they don't have the red tape and regulations of working with NASA.

If you bird, fish, hunt, wade or paddle the lagoons I probably don't need to explain the negative impact this would have on your recreation.

The 40 endangered species that make their homes here probably think it's not a good idea either. They can neither vote nor write letters.

Obviously, a massive publicity and letter writing campaign needs to start immediately so we can keep this complex on either the NASA property or Canaveral Air Force Station.

If you think a new space complex on what is now national wildlife refuge property is a bad idea, send a letter or email to Governor Scott, Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, your congressional representative, and your state senator and state representative to let them know. You can find them at these links:

http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/Find

Sample Letter Below. Feel free to copy or modify

I am very strongly opposed to Space Florida building any type of launch facility within the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. One million people a year visit this refuge to bird, fish, hunt, kayak, see manatees, and other outdoor-related activities. Those people could easily go elsewhere, depriving the surrounding communities of badly needed tourist dollars.

Forty threatened and endangered species make their homes here. It's not like they can go elsewhere. The remaining wild areas that could be occupied by them already is.

The NASA property has more than enough space for the proposed 150 acres that Space Florida says they need. Let them purchase the property from NASA if they want to avoid NASA red tape.

A commercial launch facility is not compatible with the stated mission of the national wildlife refuge: "To administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of the present and future generations of Americans."

I look forward to hearing your views on this important topic.

Respectfully yours,

(YOUR NAME HERE)