What is the Lake Belt and why is it important?

The Lake Belt is an area established by the Florida Legislature in 1997 to implement the Miami-Dade County Lake Belt Plan. It is located west of Miami and east of Everglades National Park. Rock has been mined in southern Miami-Dade County since the early 1950s. In south Florida, groundwater occurs near the surface of the ground so that when rock is mined, even in shallow pits, excavated areas fill with water and man-made lakes are formed. The name Lake Belt comes from the presence of many such 'lakes'.

The rock mined in the Lake Belt provides materials used for building homes, other facilities, roads, and infrastructure that support the populated portions of the region. The Lake Belt area was acquired by the mining industry over time as that location proved productive and economic for their purposes.

What role does the Corps play in the Lake Belt SEIS process?

The Corps is one of several governmental entities involved in permitting activities in the Lake Belt, and it is preparing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) in coordination with other federal, state, regional, and local agencies.

The Corps is a permitting agency. It is neither a proponent nor an opponent of the proposed action.

The Corps ensures that a permitted action is not contrary to the public good by balancing the rights of property owners with the need to protect the natural resources of the region including the local water supply and the Everglades.

The final permitting decision will balance restoration goals, public concerns and private property rights.

Why is the Lake Belt SEIS being prepared?

The Corps prepared an original EIS, The Rock Mining-Freshwater Lake Belt Plan Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, issued in May 2000 and 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 in April 2002 that allowed mining within a smaller, 10-year plan. 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.

What is the purpose of the Lake Belt SEIS?

The purpose of the SEIS is to evaluate reasonable alternatives to obtain construction grade limestone and other limestone products to meet the approved project purpose and need. Alternatives will be determined through scoping, a public input process, and are expected to include the following: a ''no action'' alternative; rock mining in other areas both inside and outside of Miami-Dade County and/or Florida; and continued and/or expanded rock mining within Lake Belt.

What is an (S)EIS?

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires all federal agencies to prepare an EIS for major federal actions that could have significant impacts on the environment. Under NEPA, 'environment' includes the natural and physical environment (such as air, water, wildlife, geology) as well as people's relationship with the environment (such as health, safety, jobs, housing, and aesthetics). In general, agencies prepare supplements to either draft or final environmental impact statements when there is a substantial change in the proposed action or there are significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts.

How does the NEPA EIS process work?

An EIS is prepared in a series of steps: gathering public and government comments to define the issues that should be analyzed (scoping); preparing the Draft EIS; receiving and responding to pubic comments on the Draft; preparing the Final EIS. No decisions are made in an EIS; rather, it serves as one of several factors decision makers consider. The decision is announced in a Record of Decision after the final EIS has been published.

Scoping begins with publication in the Federal Register of a Notice of Intent (NOI) to let the public know that it is considering an action and will prepare an EIS. The NOI announces the scoping period during which the public can provide comments on the proposed action, issues, alternatives, and impacts to be analyzed in the EIS. Scoping may include public meetings and other means of obtaining comments.

The Draft EIS presents, analyzes, and compares the potential environmental impacts of the proposed action and alternatives and their implementation. It also provides information on methodologies and assumptions used in the analyses. The document is made available for public review and comment. Comments are considered in preparation of the Final EIS.

When the public comment on the Draft is completed, a final EIS is prepared and distributed. Public comments are reflected in the Final EIS, and issues raised in comments along with agency responses are included in the EIS or in an accompanying document.

Following a minimum 30-day waiting period after the Final EIS is published, a Record of Decision is issued.

Did the Corps consider buying the land instead of permitting the companies to mine it?

The Corps does not have the authority under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act to undertake land acquisition.

Will the possible effect of mining on wildlife habitat be considered?

Yes, and the result could be conditions placed on permits -- if they are granted -- to ensure no net loss of wetland functions and values, including wildlife habitats. As a condition of Corps permits, periodic evaluations of restoration activities could also be required.

Aren't there endangered wood storks in the area?

Yes, there are wood storks nests on public park lands near the mining area. The Corps is aware of those wood stork nests and the fact that the nesting birds may forage in the Lake Belt and the nearby Pennsuco wetlands. The Corps recently completed consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concerning mining under existing permits in Lake Belt. The Service concluded that the existing permits are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of wood storks.

Will the impact of rock mining on the drinking water supply be considered?

Yes, it will. Additionally, Chapter 24-12.1, Code of Miami-Dade County, provides specific well field protection rules, including a prohibition of mining within a setback distance from the wellheads.

Will other alternatives or other sources of rock be considered?

Yes, the SEIS will consider alternative sources of rock including other state mines or sources outside the state.

When does the scoping period end? (updated 7-16-07)

The scoping period ended on November 17, 2006. Comments on the scope of the Lake Belt SEIS received by that date are being considered in the development of the SEIS.

When will the SEIS be completed? (updated 8-17-07)

The Draft SEIS was mailed to the public on August 17, 2007 and is now available for download on this website. The Final EIS is expected to be completed by the end of 2007.

What happens next? (updated 8-17-07)

The public comment period for the Draft SEIS is now open and will remain open through October 22, 2007. You can submit a comment via this website or as discussed on the Public Involvement page. Your comments are appreciated and will be considered in developing the Final SEIS.

A public hearing will be held in Miami during September 2007. As details for the meeting are finalized additional information regarding the meeting will be posted to this website and interested parties will be notified via email or the U.S. mail as requested.