Feb. 8, 2018
SFWMD Completes Crucial Land Purchase from Willing Seller for EAA Storage Reservoir
Land will be part of optimized plan to build reservoir called for by Senate Bill 10 that reduces harmful discharges to northern estuaries and delivers CERP goal for clean water to the Everglades
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| SFWMD has informed the public of progress on the Everglades Agricultural Area Storage Reservoir through an innovative web page that features an interactive map and milestone tracker. |
West Palm Beach, FL - The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board today approved a land purchase from a willing seller necessary to build the proposed Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Storage Reservoir.
"We have said throughout this process that we will work with willing sellers through purchases or swaps to acquire adjacent land within the project's footprint," said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Dan O'Keefe. "By identifying, working with and subsequently closing on a deal with this willing seller to purchase their parcel, the District can use that land as part of the cost-effective and implementable plan that will benefit the northern estuaries and the entire Everglades."
The Governing Board approved purchasing 9.97 acres from a private owner
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This map shows the land being purchased by SFWMD from a willing seller for the EAA Storage Reservoir. Click on the image to see a larger version. |
west of the state-owned A-2 parcel in the EAA. This is one of two parcels specifically identified by Senate Bill 10 for purchase when the bill was passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott last year. District officials are in the process of negotiations with the owner of additional lands within the proposed project footprint, which were specifically identified in state law.
Background and Public Engagement
The process of planning for the reservoir began as Senate Bill 10. Early last year, the bill was authorized by the Florida Legislature in an effort led by Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, and signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott. A progress report on SFWMD's findings regarding all of the project alternatives, including benefits and estimated costs, was sent to the Legislature in January in accordance with state law.
A Post Authorization Change Report that will describe the most cost-effective alternative for this project as the next increment of the congressionally approved Central Everglades Planning Project will be sent to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for U.S. Army Civil Works for federal approval and cost sharing in March 2018.
For modeling data and more information on the previously held meetings, including agendas and presentations, visit
www.sfwmd.gov/eaareservoir.
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