By Kyle Coppola
Embry-Riddle Looking To Build Massive Campus in Ocala National Forest
According to GrowthSpotter, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is reportedly looking into constructing a a nearly 3,000-square-foot runway, aircraft hangar, drone operations facility and housing inside the Ocala National Forest—one of the most ecologically sensitive and protected federal lands in Florida.
However many concerns have been brought up about the proposed plan. The Ocala National Forest is federal land, protected under the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) and overseen by the U.S. Forest Service. Its purpose is not to serve as a private training ground or airstrip for institutional or commercial interests.
Michael Saxe took to Facebook to voice his concerns over the project, asking people to take a stand and save the forest.
Residents argue that the Embry-Riddle proposal threatens critical habitats for endangered species, disturbs sacred tribal lands and could violate federal guidelines related to land use, conservation easements and environmental protections.
The University had first sought to rezone this property for a Community Facility District. However the school is now wanting to move forward with plans for a satellite campus which is under existing agricultural zoning.
Many are pointing out that the amount of damage the project would cause to the local environment far outweigh the benefits.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
