Levy County RESTORE Act MYIP
Public Comment Period Closes February 20, 2018
Letters of Support are Needed
The 45-day Public Comment period that opened on January 8, 2018 will end in a few weeks on February 20, 2018.
Public comments and input are essential to the securing of these projects. The letter can be in the body of an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Comments should be meaningful to the projects and the area. They do not need to be lengthy.
The RESTORE Act (Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012) created a specific funding allocation to the effected states and, in particular, a specific designation to the counties effected in Florida.
A portion of the penalties under the RESTORE Act will be awarded to Levy County through the Deepwater Horizon Settlement and the RESTORE Act.
The eight projects, located within the Gulf Coastal Region, being considered for Levy County are as listed below:
PROJECT 1: Project ACE (Ambassadors for Conservation Education)Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan, including fisheries monitoring - By following the Memorandum of Understanding of the Cedar Keys Wildlife Refuge Conservation Plan that governs both Santa Fe College and University of Florida at Seahorse Key that requires both entities to engage the public and provide an increase awareness of the importance of the Gulf of Mexico and the islands.
PROJECT 2: Inner Marina Maintenance DredgingInfrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure - By dredging and building supporting infrastructure improvements to serve docks and slips within the Inner Marina.
PROJECT 3: Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve Equipment and MaterialsPromotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast Region, including recreational fishing - By providing equipment and materials to attract more visitors.
PROJECT 4: Lower Withlacoochee Environmental StudyPlanning assistance - By completing a comprehensive analysis of causal factors for diminished biological productivity in the Lower Withlacoochee River through examination of historical data (Phase 1), project data collection (Phase 2) and develop remediation/restoration projects (Phase 3) relevant to findings.
PROJECT 5: Clam Trail in Cedar Key and Surrounding AreaPromotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast Region, including recreational fishing - By promoting the clam's ecological and economic benefit to the coastal communities and waters of Levy County.
PROJECT 6: Cedar Key Wastewater ImprovementsInfrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure - By upgrading the District's wastewater collection facilities which are over the Gulf waters and have the potential forcontaminating those waters.
PROJECT 7: Cedar Key Aquarium at Nature Coast Biological StationPromotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast Region, including recreational fishing - By the construction of the modern scale marine aquarium and education center.
PROJECT 8: Outdoor Electronic Touchscreen 24/7 KIOSKPromotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast Region, including recreational fishing - By installing an outdoor electronic touchscreen KIOSK to provide timely and Accurate information to tourists in an easily accessible fashion, encouraging repeat tourism.4.
More RESTORE information may be found on the Levy County website:
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