Challengers make waves for dredging project

Just a few emails that likely will be followed by judicial challenges could delay two beach projects for months.

Longbeach Village resident Gene Jaleski and former Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash, who both opposed the north-end groin project that’s under way, along with several environmental organizations, have written letters to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contesting the town’s request for a federal permit to dredge Longboat Pass and New Pass during the public comments phase of the permit process. The input could delay federal permits for both projects, according to Public Works Director Juan Florensa.

In separate comments for the New Pass and Longboat Pass dredging projects, McClash urged federal officials to “modify, condition or deny permits” for the federal permit proposals.

McClash also requested an environmental impact (EIS) study if dredging is performed in certain areas of the authorized boating channels in both waterways, which could take one or two years, according to Florensa.

McClash is also opposing a Big Pass dredging project farther south.

Jaleski opposed dredging Longboat Pass in emails and urged the Corps of Engineers to consider alternative ways to place sand.

Florensa said he was surprised by the comments.

“These passes have been dredged,” Florensa said. “We’re not asking for anything that hasn’t been done before.”

With two groins under construction on the north end of the Key, the town wants to dredge Longboat Pass as early as this summer.

On the south end, the town hopes to dredge New Pass in summer 2016 to fill in eroded areas on the south end.

The Longboat Key Town Commission nixed an emergency truck-haul project that would have brought 25,000 cubic yards of sand to the island, citing traffic headaches from dump trucks and costs of the project.

Town Manager Dave Bullock will propose the project again if challenges delay dredging.

“The commission told us if there’s a delay in the (south end) project, to bring back the $1.5 million truck haul project,” Bullock said. “It’s just an incredible waste of taxpayer money to put down this small amount of sand.”