http://www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com/Future_Initiatives.asp
The TDC continues to make progress for beach restoration for the 30A Corridor. As previously reported, the sand source investigation has been completed. There are two locations off the South Walton coast, which have sand that is similar in size, color and composition to the native sand. The sand color is a close match at 7.2 on the color scale (8.1 is the native sand ranking.)
Step two is to obtain permits. After receiving the first ?Request for Additional Information (RAI)? by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the TDC submitted a reply at the end of October. The FDEP reviewed the information and sent Walton County a second RAI in early December. The TDC and consultants are preparing a response to the second RAI that they plan to submit in February. Additionally, the FDEP sent Walton County a grant agreement to cost share on the design and permitting of the project that will be executed at the Jan. 8 County Commission Meeting.
To date, no additional information is available regarding the Supreme Court Hearing or its impact on the permitting process.
The timeline for the permitting process is dependent on three important factors:
1. Permitting - The review by three federal agencies, and two state agencies can take as quickly as 10-12 months or can take up to several years. For example, it took two years to receive all permitting for the western Walton County project. Delays included administrative hearings and lawsuits filed by affected owners. All technical information for the Phase 2 Beach Restoration for the 30A corridor was collected and analyzed during the past three years; the most time consuming portion of the data collection and analysis was finding offshore sand resources to place onto the beach. The technical information and sand source findings served as the design basis for the permit application that was submitted for review in July 2007. Permit review is ongoing; however, the permit file has not yet been deemed complete and ready for final review by the FDEP as we have received two Requests for Additional Information (RAI). We anticipate additional RAI?s over the next few months as we move through the permitting process.
2.Funding ? The project is estimated to cost between $40-60 million. All funding sources for the project have not been identified at this time. In addition to bed tax revenues dedicated to beach restoration, the TDC continues to pursue state and federal grants for the project and will research all funding opportunities that are available. With state grant funding and limited TDC bed tax dollars available, the remaining balance for the project, approximately $30-50 million, will need to be raised. TDC bed taxes for beach nourishment are already pledged to secure a $10 million loan for the Western Walton County beach restoration project.
3. Litigation ? A lawsuit began in 2005 during the Western Walton County beach restoration project by a group of homeowners who are questioning ownership rights. On April 19, the Florida State Supreme Court held a hearing to decide the case. The outcome of this lawsuit will directly impact the future of this project. A ruling in favor of the owners group may lead to a lengthy delay or halt the project all together. No decision has been made to date. The TDC continues to move through the process as effectively and efficiently as possible with an ideal start date in late 2008. This optimistic start date is contingent on achieving all three factors positively and expeditiously.