The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District announces a Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) engagement scheduled for Monday, July 19, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The purpose of the July 19 engagement with the Project Delivery Team and LOSOM stakeholders is to make the preliminary announcement of the Preferred Alternative for the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual.
“The purpose of this announcement is to provide the PDT and LOSOM stakeholders the Corp’s preliminary determination of the Preferred Alternative, said LOSOM Project Manager Tim Gysan. “The presentation will provide the lake schedule alternative determined to best represent the balance based on the feedback we have received, the feedback we need from the PDT and stakeholders over the next several weeks on areas of optimization and performance tradeoff, needs for operational guidance, and the schedule moving forward.”
“The final announcement of the preferred alternative, including specifics for optimization and opportunities for operational guidance development, will be made in early August,” said Gysan.
“It’s really important for everyone to understand that we will need the PDT and stakeholders to continue to be fully engaged, as we determine the areas for optimization and begin development of the operational guidance that accompanies the schedule.”
“The schedule and guidance together make the operating plan that we will document in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Water Control Plan. The process of optimization and developing the operational guidance will continue through October 14,” said Gysan.
The release of the draft EIS for public comment is scheduled for February 2022, the release of a final EIS by July of 2022, and a Record of Decision in November of 2022, so that we have the best possible plan ready to implement as soon as the Herbert Hoover Dike Rehabilitation is complete at the end of 2022.
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 engagement and provide comment during the designated Public Comment periods.
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LOSOM PDT and Stakeholder Engagement – Preliminary Announcement of Preferred Alternative
Monday, July 19, 2021, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
https://usace1.webex.com/meet/lisa.e.aley
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Additional information is available at: www.saj.usace.army.mil/LOSOM/
The purpose of the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) effort is to reevaluate and define operations for the Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule that take into account additional infrastructure that will soon be operational.