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Pinellas County approves $125 million beach renourishment contract, seeks temporary easements amid federal constraints
Summary
County commissioners approved a $125 million contract with Weeks Marine for shore renourishment and appropriated related funds, while staff warned that federal Corps easement rules limit eligibility for long-term federal cost share and will force patchwork construction where property owners withhold easements.
The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners on June 17 approved a $125 million contract to renourish multiple Gulf Coast beaches and appropriated additional funds to begin the work ahead of hurricane season.
County staff said the award to Weeks Marine and the earlier budget realignment together will allow county crews and contractors to begin construction segments as soon as permits and access agreements are in place. “This will do all of our areas that are scheduled for renourishment. A total of just over $125,000,000,” the county announced during the meeting.
The vote followed extended discussion about federal requirements that have blocked earlier Corps of Engineers projects: a 2017 interpretation requiring perpetual public-access easements for private properties and a rule that projects must have 100% of required easements for a segment to be eligible for federal work. County staff and commissioners said those requirements have left stretches of coastline ineligible for federal…
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