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Update on the Oyster Lake situation as of Sept. 17th, 1999:
Earlier this week, the Sierra Club attorney informed us that Walton County personnel indicated to him that the County is going to withdraw as co-applicant from the permit process and intends to instruct the engineer who prepared the application to cease work on the project. The County acknowledged that they had received a lot of calls about the project, and that they recognize that it is inconsistent with the County Comprehensive Plan. Additionally, in communication with the attorney, the DEP cleared up some of the confusion surrounding the requirements and confimed what the proper procedure should be for this type of project. Presumably, the individual applicants could proceed or reapply again without the County as co-applicant. The Army Corps of Engineers has indicated they will not approve the project in its present form, however they would consider a modified plan. We are still waiting for DEP's action on the permit; they have indicated they may not
approve it, however we have not seen this in writing yet, and like the Corps, they would consider a new application with a modified plan if it were submitted to them.
Regarding the money budeted in Walton County's long range beach management plan for "dune lake outlet management", the County indicated in conversation with Sierra's attorney that that is something put in the plan by the consultant, and that the County has never really supported it. The attorney is waiting for a letter from Commissioner Butler to that effect.
So, to sum up, it looks hopeful, but we need to continue to work actively to protect the dune lakes - keep the pressure on the County to follow through on their withdrawal from the Oyster Lake project and delete "dune lake outlet management" from their long range beach management plan, let the state agencies know we oppose any alteration to the dune lake outlets, keep watch for similar projects that might be proposed in the future, including a modified plan for Oyster Lake, and explore the possibility of obtaining "Outstanding Florida Water" status for the dune lakes.
If you have not already written a letter, it would be very helpful to put these points in a letter to the State and County officials named on the previous alert page. Many thanks for the letters and phone calls - keep them coming, they make a difference! |
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