Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project (LOWRP) NEPA Public Meetings
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Morning NEPA Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Evening NEPA Meeting: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
WebEx Meeting Link: https://usace1.webex.com/meet/earl.t.gysan
Call-in toll-free number (ATT Audio Conference):1-844-800-2712
Call-in number (ATT Audio Conference):1-669-234-1177
Access Code: 1997788788
Both morning and evening meetings will follow the same format, which begins with a presentation on changes to LOWRP since Aug. 2020, followed by an opportunity for formal public comment.
Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project (LOWRP) Project Delivery Team (PDT) Meeting
Monday, March 7, 2022, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
WebEx Meeting Link: https://usace1.webex.com/meet/earl.t.gysan
Call-in toll-free number (ATT Audio Conference):1-844-800-2712
Call-in number (ATT Audio Conference):1-669-234-1177
Access Code: 1997788788
The Project Delivery Team (PDT) members include only the federal officials and elected officers of state, local or tribal governments or their designated employees with authority to act on their behalf acting in their official capacities.
Members of the public (PUBLIC) are welcome to attend the government agency PDT meeting and provide comment during the designated Public Comment periods.
The purpose of this LOWRP PDT meeting is to update the PDT and stakeholders on the changes to the LOWRP plan since the release of the Final PIR/EIS in August 2020, which are detailed in the Draft Revised PIR/EIS released for 45-day NEPA review on February 18, 2022.
ARCHIVE
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, announces the availability of the Final Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project (LOWRP) Project Implementation Report and Environmental Impact Statement (PIR/EIS). The public review period has been extended through October 28, 2020.
The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is proposing a wetland attenuation feature with a storage volume of approximately 46,000 acre-feet (ac-ft); 80 aquifer storage and recovery wells with a storage volume of approximately 448,000 ac-ft per year; two wetland restoration sites along the Kissimmee River, Paradise Run and Kissimmee River Center, to restore approximately 4,800 acres of wetlands; and provides for recreational facilities at multiple sites in the wetland attenuation feature and wetland restoration sites. Implementation of the recommended plan will improve the quantity, timing and distribution of water entering Lake Okeechobee, provide for better management of Lake Okeechobee water levels, reduce large freshwater releases to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries, improve system-wide operational flexibility, and will restore portions of the historic Kissimmee River Channel and floodplain. The recommended plan is located within Okeechobee, Highlands, Hendry, Lee, Glades, Martin and St. Lucie Counties, FL. Questions concerning the proposed action can be submitted to Dr. Gretchen Ehlinger, by email at OkeechobeeWatershedRestoration@usace.army.mil, or by telephone at 904-232-1682.
View the Draft Chief of Engineers Report, Oct. 1, 2020
Final Integrated PIR and EIS
Appendix A: Engineering, Part 1
Appendix A: Engineering, Part 2
Appendix B: Cost
Appendix C: Environmental and Cultural Resources, Parts 1 and 2
Appendix C: Environmental and Cultural Resources, Part 3
Appendix C: Environmental and Cultural Resources, Parts 4 and 5
Appendix D: Real Estate
Appendix E: Plan Formulation Screening
Appendix E: Plan Form Attachment
Appendix F: Recreation​
Appendix G: LOWRP Benefit Model​
Annex A: Fish and Wildlife Coordination and ESA
Annex B: Analyses Required by WRDA 2000 and Florida State Law
Annex B, Attachment 1: Final State Compliance Report
Annex C: Draft Project Operating Manual
Annex D: Monitoring Plans for LOWRP
Annex E: RECOVER Reports
Annex F: Invasive and Nuisance Species Management Plan
Annex G: HTRW Investigations to Date
Annex H: Climate Change Assessment
Past
Corps accepts comments on Lake O Watershed Programmatic Agreement
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District announces a 30-day public comment period on the Draft Programmatic Agreement for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project (LOWRP). Comments are due October 31, 2019.
The Programmatic Agreement will establish the process that the Corps will follow for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservations Act, to take into account the potential effects of the specific project phase or feature on historic properties. The agreement will be among the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Florida State Historic Preservation Office, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
Review the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project Draft Programmatic Agreement at https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p16021coll7/id/12402.
Please submit comments by October 31, 2019 to Meredith.A.Moreno@usace.army.mil.
Or by mail to:
Meredith Moreno
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Jacksonville District
P.O. Box 4970
Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019
The Draft Agreement is the product of multiple consultations with the Jacksonville District's federal, state, and tribal partners and is intended to address the identification and evaluation of historic properties and potential effects to historic properties arising from the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project.
The LOWRP is the only Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) project in development north of Lake Okeechobee designed to increase water storage capacity in the watershed in an effort to achieve ecologically desirable water levels in Lake Okeechobee, improve the quantity and timing of discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, restore degraded habitat for fish and wildlife throughout the study area, and increase the spatial extent and functionality of wetlands.
Public Comment for Revised Draft Integrated Project Implementation Report (PIR) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project extended until September 3, 2019.
The Corps has released a Revised Draft Integrated Project Implementation Report (PIR) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project and will accept public comments on the revised documents until September 3, 2019. The revised documents are available for review at the links below.
Note: due to large file sizes, some documents may take a few minutes to load
Revised draft integrated PIR and EIS for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project
Appendix A - Engineering
Appendix B - Cost Engineering and Risk Analysis
Appendix C - Environmental and Cultural Resources
Appendix D - Real Estate
Appendix E - Plan Formulation Screening
Appendix F - Recreation
Appendix G - Benefit Model
Annex A - FWCA and ESA Compliance
Annex B- Analysis Required by WRDA and Florida State Law
Annex C - Draft Project Operating Manual
Annex D- Monitoring Plans
Annex E - RECOVER Reviews
Annex F - INSMP
Annex G - K05 HRTW Investigations to Date
Annex H - Sea Level and Climate Change Assessment
You may submit your comments via email OkeechobeeWatershedRestoration@usace.army.mil. Those who wish to submit written comments may mail them to the following address:
Dr. Gretchen Ehlinger
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District
P.O. Box 4970
Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019
Public Input Opportunity for Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project - May 23, 2017
During the Lake Okeechobee Watershed (LOW) Project Delivery Team (PDT) meeting held on May 17, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Water Management District presented the revised final array of alternatives for the project. These alternatives are currently being modeled.
Public participation and input is essential to the planning process. Public comments are being accepted throughout the duration of this planning effort. Regularly-scheduled PDT meetings will provide an overview of the alternative refinement and evaluation process and will provide an additional mechanism for project feedback.
Comments can be submitted to: OkeechobeeWatershedRestoration@usace.army.mil, or mailed to:
Dr. Gretchen Ehlinger
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District
P.O. Box 4970
Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019
The Lake Okeechobee Watershed project is currently in the plan formulation phase of the project. After modeling efforts are completed on the array of alternatives, it is anticipated that a Tentatively Selected Plan for the project will be determined in August 2017. During this timeframe, regularly scheduled Project Delivery Team meetings will be held to provide updates and solicit public input.
Modeling Results - February 7, 2017
Check out the latest modeling results for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project
here
.
NEPA Comment Response Matrix Available Online - November 22, 2016
The comment response matrix for the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project is now available online. The matrix captures all of the comments received during the 45-day public comment period held June 28 - August 12, 2016, and responses. The public comment period was held in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to solicit input from federal, state, and local agencies, Native American Tribes, and other interested private organizations and members of the public.
AUGUST 31, 2016 - South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Working Group-Sponsored Public Workshop
A public workshop was sponsored by the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Working Group to engage the public on the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project.
9:30 AM - 4 PM (ET)
Indian RiverSide Park, Frances Langford Dockside Pavilion, 2nd Floor, 1707 NE Indian River Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957
A series of public meetings regarding the Draft Integrated PIR/EIS document was scheduled from 6-8 p.m.:
July 31, 2018
Lee County Mosquito and Hyacinth Control Districts
15191 Homestead Road
Lehigh Acres, FL 33971
August 1, 2018
Indian River State College
Wolf High-Technology Center
2400 SE Salerno Road
Stuart, FL 34997
August 2, 2018
Indian River State College
Williamson Conference and Education Center
2229 NW 9th Avenue
Okeechobee, FL 34972