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DeSantis signs bill blocking potential cruise terminal
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill halting plans for a proposed Manatee County cruise terminal during a press conference in Bradenton on Thursday morning.
BRADENTON, Fla. - Plans for a potential cruise terminal in Manatee County have been effectively blocked after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new bill Thursday restricting large-scale dredging projects in some environmentally sensitive areas.
The legislation adds new protections for coastal waters, including the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve in Manatee County and the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve in Miami.
Under SB 302, lawmakers are aiming to preserve fragile ecosystems and prevent major construction projects from permanently altering those waters.
DeSantis signed the bill during a news conference in Bradenton, and he says that there are plenty of cruise terminals in Florida already, including Tampa, Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
What they're saying:
"There is not really a need to add another port in the middle of a conserved area and aquatic preserve, especially given that Tampa Bay is already home to three deep water ports, including Seaport Manatee right here in Manatee County," DeSantis said. "So construction of a new port next door I think struck a lot of people as being unnecessary."
It's a win for those in the community who rallied to stop the proposal, which was originally unveiled by SSA Marine and Tampa-based Slip-Knott LLC.
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The backstory:
Their plan was to build a multi-docking cruise terminal just south of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The site was pitched as a way to accommodate larger cruise ships that cannot pass beneath the bridge to reach ports in Tampa Bay.
Backlash from environmental advocates and nearby residents quickly followed as concerns grew about dredging and increased ship traffic in protected waters.
Bradenton-based senator Jim Boyd led the charge on this bill that prohibits the dredging or filling of submerged lands of the preserve, which was established in 1986. It surrounds the Knott-Cowen Tract, which is where the cruise was slated to go.
"It just simply doesn’t allow dredging or filling in the Terra Ceia Bay Aquatic Preserve, which would more or less eliminate the opportunity for anybody to put something of that scale in that area," said Boyd.
The bill restricts only certain kinds of dredging, like for fishing boats.
Lawmakers included exceptions, allowing dredging for public navigation projects, public health needs or environmental restoration efforts.
Critics worry those exceptions could weaken the protections and allow certain projects to move forward under special circumstances. Others say the provisions would actually allow for increased development in an area that’s currently protected.
What's next:
Some environmental groups say they expect the developers behind the cruise port proposal to continue pushing for the project, setting the stage for what could become a lengthy fight over the future of the site.
The Source: This story was written using information from the press conference, the Florida Senate website and previous FOX 13 reporting.