State Senators Don Gaetz and Greg Evers, joined by Reps. Brad Drake, Matt Gaetz and Doug Broxon addressed approximately 50 constituents at NW Florida State College in Niceville on Thursday night to field comments and concerns with regard to the proposed beach re-nourishment project on Okaloosa Island. At the end of the day, the group voted to oppose the project.
Opponents of course believe that the sand to be used to shore up Okaloosa Island beaches will be too dark and will diminish the quality and desirability of the beach. Proponents believe the $12 million re-nourishment project is necessary to prevent future encroachment and erosion along the 2.8 mile stretch.
In September, an administrative judge agreed with the opponents and recommended that DEP reject the beach re-nourishment project on the basis that the sand would be “too dark, have too many shells and have too high a carbonate content”. The Okaloosa County Commission has supported the project all along. In fact, they recently filed a response in opposition to the judge’s decision. That is, until this week, when Okaloosa Commissioner Bill Roberts said the issue should be dropped “because it has become too divisive”. An answer from DEP was otherwise expected by Dec. 29th.
With Roberts about-face on the issue, for better or worse, the beach restoration project on Okaloosa Island is effectively dead. A public hearing will be held on January 17th to officially pull the plug. How this may affect future re-nourishment projects in the area is anyone’s guess.