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CRA staff says DEP warning letter on underwater reef modules under review; independent expert proposed
Summary
CRA staff told the board it received a DEP warning letter about underwater reef modules, followed up with its coastal consultant and offered a former DEP reef expert to review; staff will return with updates to the board.
CRA staff informed the Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency on Feb. 4 that the CRA received a warning letter from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's West Palm Beach office concerning underwater reef modules installed by the agency.
Susan, a CRA staff member, said the office had been awaiting the letter since June and that staff immediately followed up with the CRA’s coastal construction engineering consultant, Dr. Mike Jenkins of ATM, and convened a Zoom with DEP to discuss the letter’s contents. "We followed up immediately, several days after receiving the letter with our coastal construction engineering consultant," Susan said.
Susan told the board staff offered to bring an independent reef expert — a person who previously worked for DEP for nearly 20 years — to review the technical issues and speak with DEP. "We offered up to have an independent expert in the field of reefs," she said, and said staff are in discussions with DEP and will return with an update.
Board members expressed bipartisan support for protecting the reefs and noted these artificial reefs were permitted before recent rulings, with Vice Chair Malaric saying the structures had "flourished." The executive director said staff must clear the DEP issue first, then finalize outstanding items such as camera line routing and contractor installation work.
No enforcement action or permit revocation was announced at the meeting. Staff said they have submitted a written reply to DEP and will report back to the board with findings and any recommended next steps.
