The city of Cape Coral announced a major milestone in its environmental and waterway improvement efforts.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has officially issued the city’s environmental resource permit for the South Spreader Waterway Enhancement Project, which includes the removal of the Chiquita Boat Lock.
This achievement follows the issuance of the final order and marks a moment for the city's ongoing initiatives to enhance waterway access and environmental conditions.
With the environmental resource permit now in hand, Cape Coral has promptly begun securing the necessary permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to move forward with the lock removal.
City officials are also actively coordinating with the contractor responsible for the lock’s removal to ensure that the project progresses without delay.
This recent development builds on a key event from June 2024, when an administrative law judge issued a recommended order authorizing the FDEP to grant the environmental resource permit to the city.
This recommendation followed a multiweek evidentiary hearing that concluded on Dec. 20, 2023.
During this process, the administrative law judge required the city and FDEP to submit proposed recommended orders by April 29, 2024. After a thorough review, the administrative law judge confirmed that the city’s environmental resource permit application met all required standards under Florida law and the Florida Administrative Code, leading to the favorable recommended order.
As the project moves forward, the city says it remains committed to improving waterway access and ensuring better environmental conditions for the community.