County accepts DEP planning grant for East Pass dredging design and permitting

Okaloosa County commissioners approved acceptance of a Florida Department of Environmental Protection planning grant and matching funds to advance design and permitting for an expanded East Pass dredging project. County staff said a 2020 feasibility study considered increasing the federal channel dredge from the usual ~200,000 cubic yards per cycle to 600,000 or over 1 million cubic yards, with sand placement options to the east or west of East Pass in Destin. The county recently won planning-phase grant funding and presented the DEP agreement for signature to move into design and permitting. The grant award presented at the meeting was $320,000 from DEP, matched with $320,000 from local sources. Staff said the construction phase would not occur until 2027 or 2028 and that the board would be asked at a future meeting to approve a construction-phase grant application. Commissioners commended staff for state and federal coordination and for the county's stewardship efforts. The board approved the agreement by motion; there was no recorded opposition. Staff emphasized the multi-year nature of the effort: feasibility work completed in 2020, planning and permitting in the coming year(s), followed by a potential construction window in 2027'28. The project team will move next to design and permitting tasks supported by the awarded funds.