The Eagle Nest site is back on for dredge disposal area. The county's consultants submitted a mitigation plan for the Eagle Nest Dr dredge material disposal site (DMDS) to Florida Dept of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Jan 18, 2008. On Jan 23, 2008 FEDP determined that the plan was satisfactory and adequately addressed any wetland impact.  The county need only provide some minor additional site data to FDEP, which they are doing the week of Jan 28, 2008. The FDEP should then be in a position to issue the

          Notice of Intent (NOI). AFTER A 21 DAY COMMENT PERIOD, our dredge disposal site permit can be issued.

            Army Corps of Engineer (ACoE) permit status - Now that the FDEP has accepted the county's DMDS mitigation plan, the county will now submit the same plan to the Army Corps of Engineers. It is expected the ACoE will also approve the plan and issue their permit shortly thereafter.

           Regarding the channel improvements - The FEDP has notified the county in writing that their permit application for channel improvements is complete, except they must mitigate for the sea grasses that are impacted in the portion of the channel that gets lengthened and straightened. Part of the mitigation envisions creation of a manatee and sea grass protection area in the shallow area outside the channel. 

           This permitting process seems to be taking forever, but the latest schedule issued by the county engineering department is as follows:

          FDEP and ACoE permits --       Feb - Mar 2008

          Bid out the project                    May 2008

          Open bids & award contract  -   June - July 2008

          Start work  --                            August 2008.

           I would like to thank project manager, Greg Sutton, for the above information and any distortions I have made - I apologize.

Dan McCann

Hernando County Port Authority Liaison