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Lake Belt Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intends to prepare a Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to evaluate potential impacts of further rock mining within wetlands in western Miami-Dade County, Florida.
The original EIS, The Rock Mining-Freshwater Lake Belt Plan Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, issued in May 2000, focused on the potential
impacts of a 50-year mining plan within the Lake Belt area. After evaluating the EIS, the Corps issued a Record of Decision and permits that allowed
mining within a smaller, 10-year plan in April 2002. The Corps’ decision was challenged in United States District Court and the Court’s decision
instructed the Corps to engage in additional analyses of rock mining in the Lake Belt region. Accordingly, the Corps is preparing this SEIS. The
Lake Belt SEIS website has been developed to provide the public with access to key documents, announcements, background information, and a means for
submitting comments and requesting specific information.
 December 2, 2008
The Corps is finalizing work on the draft SEIS which included modifications based on both public comments and agency input. Among the modifications is the addition of an eighth
alternative, updates to the Lake Belt ground/surface water flow model, and additional modeling analysis of seepage mitigation proposals and the effects on hydroperiods within
Lake Belt and the surrounding area as well as many other adjustments made in response to comments on the draft SEIS. The addition of the eighth alternative focuses on additional
avoidance and minimization of seepage and mining impacts within Lake Belt. In response to the Corps' addition of the eighth alternative, the applicants have recently requested
the addition of a ninth alternative to the SEIS. This ninth alternative focuses on minimization of seepage impacts, while maintaining a full mine-out option within Lake Belt. The
addition of this alternative and the required modeling and analysis associated with it will cause a short delay in the final document, which is now expected to be finalized mid-February.
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WHATS NEW |
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New Mitigation Plan
The Corps has received a proposed mitigation plan from the Miami-Dade County Limestone Products Association.
Meeting Presentation
On September 18, 2007, a public meeting was held regarding the draft SEIS. The presentation is now available for download. (1.25 MB)
2007 Draft SEIS Released
On August 17, 2007, the 2007 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on Rock Mining in the Lake Belt Region of Miami-Dade County, Florida was made available to the public for review.
Questions and Answers
A revised set of questions and answers is now attached.
Judges Ruling
On May 9, 2008 the U.S. Court of Appeals issued a ruling regarding the Lake Belt.
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