Broward County

The Costs of Growth

Public hearing planned to determine Port Everglades expansion

By Jonathan Del Marcus

The Broward County Commission scheduled a public hearing early next month to discuss expanding the shipping capacity of Port Everglades and any associated environmental consequences.

There, commissioners will evaluate whether to pursue one of three construction plans for the site of a 48-acre conservation easement that the Port Everglades Authority granted to the state of Florida in 1988 or simply do nothing at all.

According to the Nature Conservancy, a leading national environmental advocacy organization, “A conservation easement is a voluntary, legally binding agreement that limits certain types of uses or prevents development from taking place on a piece of property now and in the future, while protecting the property’s ecological or open-space values.”

The commission discussed the possible financial benefit to the county and the environmental factors that would be need to be balanced when pursuing any of the construction options presented by Phillip C. Allen, director of Broward County Port Everglades Department.

Allen said the Port Everglades Department is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a more detailed financial analysis of the various alternatives.

Steven R. Ross, a senior project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Jacksonville District, told the commission that the Corps was currently in the process of preparing an environmental impact statement.

Commissioners were hesitant about selecting a preferred alternative without a detailed financial analysis about what the county could expect for a return on its investment for the major financial outlays required in three of the four alternatives.

“Yes, we really want to grow the port, but we have to do it in a practical way,” said County Commissioner John Rodstrom. “Do we know financially the feasibility of the project? How does this fit into the overall port plan as far as generating revenue?”

“We do need to grow, but I need desperately to know what the cost of business is,” Broward County Mayor Lois Wexler said.

However, to get a more detailed assessment from the Army Corps of Engineers, the commission must determine which of the four alternatives they would pursue.

“We need to give the Corps direction,” Commissioner Josephus Egglelletion said. “They’re unwilling to proceed with further study without a specific direction from us.”

The commission asked staff, in consultation with Ross, to provide more financial and environmental details about construction of a new shipping berth, alternative three.

The public hearing is scheduled at the Broward County Government Center in Fort Lauderdale at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 8.