Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act of 2025

The Myakka Wild and Scenic River Act of 2025 would designate a roughly 34-mile span of the Myakka River in Sarasota County, Florida, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The designation would split the river into eight segments with different classifications (scenic, wild, or recreational) and would be administered by the federal Interior Department in partnership with a Florida-based Myakka River Management Coordinating Council. The act emphasizes cooperative management rather than creating a National Park System unit, and it limits federal land acquisition to donation or landowner consent, with no condemnation. A new Myakka River Management Council would coordinate updates to a comprehensive management plan designed to protect and manage the river in coordination with state and local agencies and organizations. The measure includes findings that Florida has already demonstrated commitment to protecting the river, notes public and local support, and identifies existing protected or conserved land within the watershed. It also establishes formal processes for cooperative agreements, technical assistance, and governance, and it requires the council to maintain or develop a comprehensive management plan that satisfies the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act’s requirements.