Chapter
Conservation • Activism • Research • Education
P.O. Box 683
Jensen Beach, FL 34958
MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Shultz / 772-834-5858

PRESS RELEASE

Jensen Beach, FL -- May 31, 2006 -- The Treasure Coast Chapter of the National Surfrider Foundation (TC Surfrider) released an official statement to Terri Jordan, lead biologist for the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) in their proposed plan to "borrow" over 1 million cubic yards of sand from the St. Lucie shoal to re-nourish 13 blocks of Miami beachfront.

The letter is reinforced with over 1500 hundred signatures collected in petition drives conducted by TC Surfrider and Senator Ken Pruitt.

Excerpt from the letter (printed in it's entirety below) read: "This petition represents the community’s absolute rejection of US Army Corp of Engineers (Corps) and Mineral Management Service’s (MMS) so-called "borrowing" of sand from the St. Lucie shoal for a Miami massive dredge-and-fill project. Attached you will find a copy of the petition. At this time there are over 1,500 taxpaying voters’ signatures between the two petitions and hundreds more being collected by the day. These signed petitions are available for anyone to review. As the petition points out, the taxpayers’ cost for such a project would be astronomical.... As the keepers of the Treasure Coast, our most immediate concern is a regard for public safety and prevention of further damage to our once rich coastal ecosystems and the recreational and business pursuits that depend upon them. As stakeholders in the Treasure Coast’s future, we are firmly opposed to anyone seeking to alter the natural configuration of the St. Lucie shoal. The role of this vital natural resource in preserving human life and property, providing economic and recreational benefits, and serving as a vital habitat for a myriad of valuable marine species must not be compromised."

Accompanied the letter and petition are two studies from the Journal of Coastal Research providing detailed scientific evidence of severe shoreline erosion as a result of offshore shoal dredging projects, dating back to 1983.

Also accompanying the letter is a May 10th correspondence from TC Surfrider to the ACOE, outlining a plan for the Miami Beach re-nourishment project utilizing compatible sand from upland sources.
(All of these documents have been provided with this release.)

TC Surfrider will be collecting signatures thoughout the summer at scheduled chapter meetings. The next chapter meeting will be held on June 12th, 7:00 p.m. at the C-Food Shack, 4256 NE Ocean Blvd. on Hutchinson Island (across from Jensen Public Beach). The community may also return the petitions by mail, or drop them off at Marketing Concepts, 2530, N.E. Indian River Drive, Jensen Beach (located in the Melba Real Estate Building). A drop box is located at the main entrance.

To receive a petition, contact TC Surfrider via e-mail: tcsurfrider@yahoo.com

# # #

TC SURFRIDER OFFICIAL STATEMENT TO ACOE:

Ms. Terri Jordan
ACOE, Planning Branch
P.O. Box 4970
Jacksonville, FL 32232

May 31, 2006

Dear Ms. Terri Jordan,

While the Treasure Coast Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation has submitted formal comments at two of the public scoping meeting, we would like to follow up with a formal letter since the NEPA process was managed poorly due to no officials taking note of our numerous and detailed comments.

The Treasure Coast Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches, has organized a petition campaign for both Martin and St. Lucie County residents, in addition to the one Senator Pruitt has developed. This petition represents the community’s absolute rejection of US Army Corp of Engineers (Corps) and Mineral Management Service’s (MMS) so-called "borrowing" of sand from the St. Lucie shoal for a Miami massive dredge-and-fill project. Attached you will find a copy of the petition. At this time there are over 1,500 taxpaying voters’ signatures between the two petitions and hundreds more being collected by the day. These signed petitions are available for anyone to review. As the petition points out, the taxpayers’ cost for such a project would be astronomical. (We request that you make public your research and cost evaluation regarding utilizing upland sand sources as an alternative solution. --please see the attached 5/10 letter to Brian Hughes/ACOE.)

Environmentally, this shoal is also designated Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) under National Marine Fisheries Service protection, requiring adequate kind-for-kind mitigation if used. As most of our members throughout the state have seen from previous coastal and wetland corps projects, this has never been accomplished adequately. Most importantly, the bathymetric surveys show that this is a very large barrier shoal that blocks and dampens the incoming wave action on Hutchinson Island. Two Journal of Coastal Research articles (also attached) provide detailed scientific evidence of severe shoreline erosion as a result of offshore shoal dredging projects, dating back to 1983.

Due to the St. Lucie shoal’s particular location just offshore of Hutchinson Island, wave modeling results from MMS (http://www.mms.gov/sandandgravel/FloridaStudyReport.htm) suggest that the shoal provides protection not only to Hutchinson Island homes, but also the St. Lucie nuclear power plant. Just south of the power plant is the narrowest portion of the island, nicknamed “the narrows.” The wave models suggest that the shoal provides critical shoreline protection to this extremely vulnerable stretch of sand. Finally, the St. Lucie shoal is economically crucial to both counties’ charter, commercial, and recreational fishing industry. Due to our estuaries being under extreme duress this year with the discharges from Lake Okeechobee, this pelagic migratory area has been one of the sole saviors to the all three components of the fishing industry.The cumulative impact of plundering the St. Lucie Shoal, as proposed, would severely affect the sport fishing and tourism industries, resulting in job loss and emigration of business from the area.

As the keepers of the Treasure Coast, our most immediate concern is a regard for public safety and prevention of further damage to our once rich coastal ecosystems and the recreational and business pursuits that depend upon them. As stakeholders in the Treasure Coast’s future, we are firmly opposed to anyone seeking to alter the natural configuration of the St. Lucie shoal. The role of this vital natural resource in preserving human life and property, providing economic and recreational benefits, and serving as a vital habitat for a myriad of valuable marine species must not be compromised.

Sincerely,

Surfrider Foundation Treasure Coast Chapter Executive Board

CC. Governor Bush
Colonel Carpenter
Senator Pruitt
Colleen Castille, DEP Secretary
Mike Barnette, DEP Chief
Richard Bouchard, St. Lucie County
Don Donaldson, Martin County
DOI
NMFS
EPA

Surfrider Foundation
Treasure Coast Chapter
Jensen Beach, FL

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