FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 1, 2012
DEP ISSUES EMERGENCY FINAL ORDER TO EXPEDITE HURRICANE SANDY RECOVERY PROCESS
~Order authorizes local governments to issue permits for restoration of beaches damaged by the storm~
TALLAHASSEE- The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has
issued a 90-day Emergency Final Order for beaches in 10 coastal counties that
were damaged by Hurricane Sandy. This order will allow local governments to
issue emergency permits in a timely manner for restoration projects within the
impacted counties.
“Our goal continues to be to protect, restore, and manage
Florida’s vital coastal system,” said Danielle Fondren, deputy director of the
DEP’s Division of Water Resource Management. “We have issued this Emergency
Order to uphold these goals and provide immediate regulatory relief to the
counties affected by Hurricane Sandy.”
The order authorizes local governments of Brevard, Broward, Flagler, Indian River, Martin,
Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, St. Johns, St. Lucie, and Volusia counties to issue
permits for repairs or restoration that must be completed within 90 days of the
expiration of the order.
Post-storm assessment of these
areas proved that an Emergency Order was necessary because the normal procedures
for obtaining the necessary authorizations would not result in sufficiently
timely action to address the needs of these counties. Damages from Hurricane
Sandy to local beaches include extensive loss of sand, structural damage and
dune erosion.
Under the Emergency Order, local governments of these
counties are authorized to order the following recovery activities seaward of
the Coastal Construction Control Line:
-
Repair utilities, roads, and beach access
points.
- Return sand to the beach and dune system.
- Restore damaged dune system.
-
Repair surviving beach/dune walkovers
- Remove safety hazards and prevent further damage
or collapse of foundations.
-
Repair or replace minor ancillary structures and
service utilities associated with existing habitable structure.
For more information on
activities authorized by the order, the Department’s Beaches and Coastal
Systems Program has developed a Sandy Public Information Handout which can be
found at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/beaches/publications/storms/sandy/2012-public-info-sandy.pdf.
|