Brevard commissioners urged to restore EEL bond funding; selection committee reconstituted

Conservation advocates told the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners on March 11 that the county should revive funding to expand its Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) program and re‑establish an active acquisition pipeline. The board also completed a formal committee appointment process and named new members and alternates to the EEL Selection and Management Committee (SMC).

Vince Liam of the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition reviewed the program’s history and urged commissioners to authorize higher bond levels so the county can again make meaningful purchases. Liam said Brevard’s earlier EEL program (1990–2009) established about 28,000 acres of sanctuaries and that a 2004 county referendum authorized up to $55 million in bonds to fund acquisitions. Voters later approved $50 million in bonds in 2022, he said; the commission in 2024 approved issuing $6 million (split $3 million for capital improvements and $3 million for new acquisitions), a level several speakers described as inadequate given current land values.

“The future of this program is in your hands,” Liam told the board, asking whether commissioners were willing to increase the bond limit and provide clearer guidance to staff and the SMC about program priorities. Jim Birney, an SMC member, described the county’s acquisition process as a science‑based seven‑step workflow that begins with willing‑seller applications and uses a parcel‑ranking matrix for selection.

Commissioner Altman said he supported restoring funding “100%” and favored returning the program to the maximum bond level voters supported.

Later in the meeting item I‑1, the board completed a public recruitment and ranking process for SMC membership and appointed members and alternates. After scoring applicants, commissioners appointed the following to the Selection and Management Committee (science seats): Christopher O’Hara, Jeff Ebel, Katherine Becker, James Birney, John Shepherd, Kenneth Snyder and Paul Schmalzer (appointments supported by roll call votes). Jason Miller and Wayne Burton were appointed to the business seats; the board also designated several other applicants as alternates to broaden the pool of qualified reviewers.

Why this matters: The EEL program acquires lands for conservation and nutrient‑reduction benefits in the Indian River Lagoon and elsewhere in the county. Advocates say larger acquisition funding is urgent because suitable parcels sell at higher prices and willing sellers are unknown after more than a decade without an active acquisition solicitation.

Next steps: The board has the option to revisit bonding levels and to direct staff on EEL program priorities; newly appointed SMC members will take office per the county’s land acquisition manual and participate in parcel evaluation.