Posted on April 28, 2016
By Jensen Werley, JBJ
The St. Johns Riverkeeper is resubmitting its petition against dredging this week, following the Department of Environmental Protection requesting more details.
The new submission will include more information on the Riverkeeper’s concerns over the environmental impacts of dredging, including more color on why it’s concerned about increased erosion and wetland degradation from the deepening.
“This is just more details about what we were concerned about,” said Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman, who said this was a procedural formality. “We felt the permit was lacking and the impacts were not being offset.”
The deadline for the resubmittal is Saturday.
The next step, said Rinaman, will be for the DEP to transfer the case to an administrative hearing, where the permits can be reviewed and evidence can be submitted. Rinaman added she wasn’t sure when the DEP would transfer the case over.
In the meantime, Jacksonville Port Authority CEO Brian Taylor said at Monday’s board meeting that his team would be meeting with the Office of General Council to prepare for the hearing.
“They will help us select an outside attorney to help us defend ourselves,” Taylor said.
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