EPA Proposes Big Expansion of Port Everglades Offshore Dump

TIME RUNNING OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

With Floridians focused on surviving the global COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to significantly expand an underwater dump site off the coast of Fort Lauderdale.

The site would be used to dump material dredged during the upcoming $437-million Port Everglades harbor deepening project and unspecified “future proposed projects.” Environmentalists are wary, fearing devastation to sensitive offshore corals like what happened during the PortMiami deepening project five years ago.

EPA posted a public notice of the dump project, which includes a 30-day period for public comment, on March 13. No comments were received as of Wednesday. The comment period expires Monday.

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