The St. Johns River Water Management District (District), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), state and local elected officials and Indian River Lagoon protection advocates will celebrate the Florida Legislature’s $10 million funding appropriation for the first phase of the Eau Gallie River muck dredging project with an event on Sept. 19 at Ballard Park in Melbourne.
The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will include remarks from Sen. Thad Altman of Melbourne, Rep. Steve Crisafulli of Merritt Island (tentative), DEP Director of the Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration Tom Frick, District Governing Board Chairman John Miklos, District Executive Director Hans Tanzler III and Melbourne Mayor Kathy Meehan.
The dredging project is a significant cause for celebration for many Indian River Lagoon stakeholders, and particularly for community residents who formed The EGRET (Eau Gallie River Environment is Threatened) Project and worked hard to bring awareness to these needs.
The group has focused for several years on securing support and funding to improve the conditions of the Eau Gallie River and Indian River Lagoon. The project will remove 625,000 cubic yards of muck sediment from the Eau Gallie River, a tributary of the lagoon.
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Press Release, September 13, 2014