THE CASE FOR RESTORATION OF MIDNIGHT PASS: · The historic marine environment of Little Sarasota Bay will be restored. Hundreds of additional acres of turtle and manatee grasses. Sarasota Bay National Estuary Program. .Dr D. Tomasko A doubling of the number of species living in the area. CDM Report.. .Mote Marine Lab. Reopening the Gulf-to-Bay connection essential to the "critters of the sea." A cleansing of bay waters with each and every tide cycle. · It will promote the health, safety and welfare of area residents and visitors. Bay waters will be cleaner, healthier with regular exchange of water through Midnight Pass. Homes and property, including public lands, will be at reduced risk. The reduced flow will lessen the erosion pressures on the City of Venice beaches and will abate the continuing erosion of Snake Island inside the Venice Jetties. · Reduced boat traffic in the Intracoastal Waterway. More boats will access the Gulf, significantly reducing boat traffic in the bay. Manatees will be at reduced risk with fewer boats in the restrictive Intracoastal. Less wake activity in the bays will reduce problems for the shoreline and for bird nesting areas. · Beach erosion on south Siesta Key will be greatly lessened. The inlet naturally provided beach accretion/stabilization for south Siesta Key. No more homes will fall into the Gulf of Mexico. Turtle Beach (a County park) will be protected. · There will be no further need to armor south Siesta Key. In fact, the existing seawalls and revetments could be removed. Turtles will not be prevented from nesting on the beaches. · It will cost Sarasota County and Florida LESS to restore Midnight Pass. Pass restoration and maintenance over 30 years costs millions less than the cost of renourishing south Siesta Key every 8 to 10 years. Such renourishment would be required if Midnight Pass is left closed. Periodic pass maintenance will simultaneously address any erosion areas on either Siesta or Casey Keys. The planned deposition basin for the inlet is a source of valuable beach-quality sand. Federal funds could be requested for the pass project Beach renourishment costs must be borne by just county and state funds. Please add our voices to those requesting that midnight pass be opened. Vic and Debbie McMurry