Port St. Joe commission rescinds support for Gulf County's floating dry dock proposal amid environmental and traffic concerns

PORT ST. JOE, Fla. Sept. 8, 2025 The Port St. Joe City Commission voted 3-2 on Monday to rescind a prior letter of support for a county-backed proposal to site a floating dry dock in St. Joe Bay, a move commissioners said was necessary to give the city more time to review environmental data, traffic impacts and economic benefits.

The contested project would place a floating dry dock in a portion of St. Joe Bay and has been advanced through a county application for grant assistance. Several speakers at Monday's commission meeting urged the city to oppose the concept, citing the potential need for large-scale dredging, possible disturbance of contaminated sediments from a former paper-mill site, and uncertainty about how many local residents would be employed by the facility.

Deb Mays of the Gulf County Citizens Coalition told the commission that existing sediment testing shows elevated levels of dioxins in parts of the bay and that previous sampling did not reach full dredging depth; she said the county's initial environmental reports contained a math error that underreported dioxin levels. "Dioxins are linked to half a dozen different cancers, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, neuropathy and Parkinson's," she said during public comment, and recommended deeper, complete core sampling before proceeding.

Supporters of Eastern Shipbuilding, including representatives of the county Economic Development Coalition and some past contractors, argued the dry dock would create skilled trades jobs and support the local shipbuilding cluster. The Economic Development Coalition's executive said Eastern employs local residents and planned workforce-development pathways that could benefit Port St. Joe workers.

Commissioners split sharply. Those who voted to rescind said the city must see full dredging-depth core-sample data, independent environmental review and clearer numbers on local hiring and infrastructure costs before endorsing a major marine-industrial project near a city tourism and fishing economy. The motion to rescind the prior letter of support passed by a 3-2 margin.

Why this matters: The dry-dock proposal touches on several high-stakes issues: dredging in a bay with legacy industrial contamination, potential impacts on tourism and commercial fishing, traffic and infrastructure needs, and the promise of new manufacturing jobs. Rescinding a letter of support does not halt county or private action, but it signals the city will press for more information and may formally oppose permits or applications that proceed without fuller study.

What the city directed: Commissioners asked staff to seek additional data and to coordinate with county officials and state agencies on complete sediment sampling, permitting consequences and a clearer assessment of projected tax and employment benefits to Port St. Joe.

Public reaction: Dozens of residents attended and many spoke. Opponents described the bay as a sensitive, largely undeveloped resource and warned dredging could resuspend long-lived contaminants; supporters emphasized job training and existing hires from the Port St. Joe area.

Next steps: The commission's rescission will be communicated to county officials and to parties pursuing grant funds. Commissioners said they expect the county and state permitting authorities to provide or confirm environmental sampling results and to detail projected hiring by ZIP code before the city will reconsider its position.

(Reporting note: the motion to rescind and public comments are summarized from the Sept. 8 meeting transcript.)