The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District will host two National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) public scoping meetings on November 20, regarding proposed dredging and potential sand sources that could be utilized to provide sand for the renourishment of the Bal Harbour beach. Public comments will be accepted through December 24.
The Corps is looking for public input on the proposed dredging and potential sand sources that could be utilized to provide sand for the proposed renourishment of the Bal Harbour beach segment of the Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project (BEC-HPP) for Dade County, Florida. Potential sand sources include dredging from Bakers Haulover Inlet (BHI) flood and ebb shoals, dredging from the Intracoastal Waterway (IWW) and the BHI channel, and beach-quality sand truck-hauled from upland sand mines.
The public scoping meetings will be held on Wednesday, November 20, at the Northeast Dade Aventura Library, 2930 NE 199th Street in Aventura. The first meeting will take place from 12 to 2 p.m. and the second meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. The information at both meetings will be the same.
The Corps will give a brief presentation at 12:15 p.m. and at 6:15 p.m. during the scoping meetings. There will be an opportunity for open discussion with project team members following the presentations. Poster boards summarizing the purpose and need for the project, project locations where dredging will occur, the location of the beach placement area, and other relevant points of the proposed action will be openly displayed. Fact sheets and comment cards will be available for the public and stakeholders to provide their input for the record.
The Corps will accept written comments regarding the proposed project at the scoping meetings and through December 24, 2019 via email to Kristen.L.Donofrio@usace.army.mil (recommended subject line: "Bal Harbour NEPA Scoping Comments") or by mail to 701 San Marco Blvd., Jacksonville, Florida, 32207.
For additional information, visit the Bal Harbour Project page at www.saj.usace.army.mil/BalHarbour.
Release no. 19-089