Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act
The Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act would expand the federally designated Miccosukee Reserved Area (MRA) to include the area known as Osceola Camp within Everglades National Park. It adds Osceola Camp to the MRA, with the specific land area shown on a named map, and requires that copies of the map be publicly available and filed with Miami-Dade County and the Miccosukee Tribe. In addition, the bill directs that, within two years of enactment, the Secretary of the Interior, after consulting with the Tribe, take actions to protect structures in Osceola Camp from flooding. The provisions amend the existing Miccosukee Reserved Area Act (Public Law 105-313) and reflect a coordinated effort among the National Park Service, the Tribe, and local authorities. In short, it formalizes Osceola Camp as part of the MRA and establishes a federal obligation to pursue flood protection for structures in that area, with ongoing tribal consultation and alignment with local government.
Key Points
- 1The MRA is expanded to include Osceola Camp, adding land described in a new subparagraph (C) to Section 4(4) of the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act.
- 2Osceola Camp is identified on a specific map titled “Everglades National Park, Proposed Expansion-Miccosukee Reserved Area, Osceola Camp” (map 160/188443, July 2023), with copies to be publicly available and filed with Miami-Dade County and the Miccosukee Tribe.
- 3The inclusion operates “in addition to” the land previously described in the act, expanding the geographic scope of the MRA.
- 4A new requirement in Section 8 creates a flooding protection mandate: within two years of enactment, the Secretary (in consultation with the Tribe) must take appropriate actions to protect Osceola Camp structures from flooding.
- 5The bill reflects coordination among federal authorities (National Park Service/Secretary), the Miccosukee Tribe, and local government, and it builds on Public Law 105-313 by adding Osceola Camp to the reserved area and establishing a flood-protection timeline.