City staff told the Lakeland City Commission that the city has been awarded a $2,200,000 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Innovative Technology Grant program to test a new sediment remediation method at Lake Bonnet.

Laura Smith, manager of Lakes and Stormwater, described the Blue Cycle Technologies process during the meeting: “This technology leaves the sediment in place. The dredging equipment goes in and goes underneath the sediment layer and excavates out the clean sand beneath it and creates a void. So the muck kind of falls into that, and then we cap it with the clean sand that we've just taken out.”

Staff said FDEP agreed to reimburse the city for the entire amount and that Blue Cycle is the only company that can provide the described equipment and technology. The city recommended executing the grant agreement, negotiating a contract with Blue Cycle, and making the related budget appropriation. The project timetable begins on agreement execution and staff gave an anticipated completion date of April 2027.

City staff and commissioners framed the work as a demonstration project intended to reduce costs and avoid the need to remove and dispose of nutrient-laden sediment offsite. Staff noted Lake Bonnet contains roughly 18 feet of muck, which drove site selection for the pilot. Laurie Smith said if the pilot proves effective, the technique could reduce dredging costs and free budgeted funds in a larger watershed mitigation program the city is planning.

Commissioners pressed for details about how the technology would affect lake capacity, compaction of muck, and whether it would replace planned dredging under the broader mitigation program. Staff said the demonstration will show how much sediment volume is effectively treated and that, if it fails to meet targets, previously planned dredging would continue. Staff also told commissioners they expect to begin permitting and mobilization promptly and that public outreach sessions will be scheduled; staff mentioned an expected public education meeting in November.

The commission discussion noted the Lake Bonnet project dovetails with a larger mitigation package that staff said includes a previously awarded federal/state mitigation grant of about $42,900,000. Staff repeatedly characterized the Blue Cycle work as a pilot intended to test whether the city can reduce disposal costs by leaving legacy muck in place and capping it with clean sand removed from beneath the muck.

No formal contract award or commission vote appears in the transcript excerpt provided; staff presented the recommendation to execute the FDEP grant agreement and to negotiate the Blue Cycle contract for later commission action.

Ending: Staff will pursue permitting and outreach and return with contract documents and any required appropriation for formal approval in a later meeting.