The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District will be extending the deadline to submit comments on the draft report for the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP). Public and agency comments will be accepted through November 1.
"Completing the report is dependent on input from multiple federal agencies, all of which have been impacted by the recent government shutdown," said Eric Bush, Chief of the Jacksonville District’s Planning and Policy Division. "We are extending the comment period to provide furloughed agencies with the opportunity to provide their input on the report and to ultimately continue moving this project forward."
Additional review time will be necessary to complete the draft report as a result of the time lost during the recent government shutdown. However, the impacts to the completion of the Chief’s Report are still being determined.
"At this time, it is difficult to project exactly how much of an impact the government shutdown has had on the completion of the Chief's Report," said Bush. "We are in the process of meeting with our partnering agencies to discuss what still needs to be done and how much additional time may be needed."
The Draft Integrated Project Implementation Report (PIR) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for CEPP is available online at: http://bit.ly/CEPP_DPIR.
Comments can be submitted electronically to: CEPPcomments@usace.army.mil or mailed to:
Dr. Gretchen Ehlinger
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 4970
Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019
The goal of the Central Everglades Planning Project is to capture water lost to tide and re-direct the water flow south to restore the central and southern Everglades ecosystem and Florida Bay. The Corps is jointly conducting this planning effort with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD).
Additional information on CEPP is available at: www.bit.ly/CentralEverglades_CEPP.