[The Central Everglades Planning Project]

In October 2011, the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force endorsed a state-federal initiative to speed up planning for key restoration projects in the heart of the Everglades. With full public involvement, the Central Everglades Planning Project is now under way. The goal is to deliver within two years a finalized plan — known as a Project Implementation Report — for a suite of restoration projects in the central Everglades to prepare for congressional authorization as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).

The Central Everglades Planning Project will identify and plan for projects on land already in public ownership to allow more water to be directed south to the central Everglades, Everglades National Park and Florida Bay while protecting coastal estuaries.

The Central Everglades Planning Project will incorporate updated science and technical information gained over the last decade to prepare the recommended plan for congressional authorization of the next generation of CERP components. The planning project will use clearly defined decision points to make the process more predictable, more efficient and reduce the current federal CERP planning process timeline. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is leading this planning effort in partnership with the South Florida Water Management District, who is fully integrated in the technical planning process.

Below is an attached map from a slide in a Jan 15, 2012 presentation showing a map of projects.
 notes from the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force    http://www.sfrestore.org/

[Re: The Central Everglades Planning Project]

The next public workshop meeting is Feb. 13‐14, 2012  Science Coordination Group Sponsored Public Workshop #1  SFWMD, West Palm Beach. Agenda will be posted on the Restoration Task Force web site.

[Re: The Central Everglades Planning Project]

Here is a list of presentations given Feb 13 - 14. If the link fails to connect, please go to http://www.sfrestore.org/cepp/cepp.html  Find the CEPP Public Workshops on the right and click on Feb 13-14 for the linked list of presentations.

[Re: The Central Everglades Planning Project]

On Thursday March 1 a Public Workshop focused on potential recreation issues in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) and the Northern Water Conservation Area 3 A, if certain "what if" scenarios were adopted. The effort to get water to stay on the land longer rather than be "dumped to tide" could involve degrading the L4 levee in a section south of Rotenberger WMA and a potential spreader canal could be added south of the L 5, south of Holeyland WMA to the east. Purpose of the workshop was to hear from users on how they use those areas and what would be the impact if these proposed projects were chosen.

See previously noted websites for updates on calendars, agendas and the presentations.

[Re: The Central Everglades Planning Project: Next Public Meeting]

Friday, March 9, at the SFWMD,in West Palm Beach, 9am to 5 pm: on the agenda is project feature siting analysis; feature type trade-offs; a configuration development exercise; existing conditions performance; screening framework, and next steps.

See the sfrestore website for up to date agendas and presentations when available. The  meeting will be webcast. Look, also, for instructions for joining the meeting via the web.

[South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, March 7, Coral Springs 12:30]

For members in south Florida:  Take this opportunity to see/hear updates about various aspects of Everglades restoration efforts. Reports to the DOI's Task Force will be heard. Find the agenda on the sfrestore website. Click on Task Force to see meeting dates and agenda items.

[Re: The Central Everglades Planning Project: Next Public Meeting May 15]

The South Florida Ecosystem Task Force will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, May 15 at the South Florida Water Management District as part of the Central Everglades Planning Project. Watch for the agenda post to the DOI  Task Force website around May 4.

The process is moving right along. I recently attended a PDT (Project Delivery Team) meeting at which the modeling techniques being prepared and tested were discussed.  Heady stuff!! Very fancy way of sifting out the potential solutions to sending (clean) water south and not dumping (really dirty) water to tide through the coastal estuaries.

The public will be welcome and expected at the May 15 meeting to hear what's going on and to respond. Try to get a look at some of the presentations given at these earlier meetings, so that your comments will be useful.

[Re: The Central Everglades Planning Project: Recent PDT meeting 5/31]

Project Delivery Team members met to discuss latest modeling. Looks like the 12 ft reservoir is bumped from the list of potential projects due to high costs involved (pumps and safety of walls. As the group goes to Level 2 modeling, the projects that move forward are the Flow thru basin (a wetland!!!) and a 6 ft high reservoir with an STA. Public comment was taken at end of meeting. How about expanding (doubling) the footprint of the 6' reservoir to achieve some of the good numbers that 12' had generated. Main problem with the 6' is that not as much water can be stored and potential for dumping water to the estuaries will happen more often. This is unacceptable to the estuary which is inflicted with this onslaught of dirty water.

Urge the governor and legislature as well as congress to come up with enough money to solve the problem!!

Watch for coming meetings:  consider joining Eco-Voice.org  They send out daily emails with important information.

[Re: The Central Everglades Planning Project: Next meeting of Taskforce is Oct 25]

South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Working Group Sponsored Public Workshop - Central Everglades Planning Project Workshop
Date: Thursday, October 25, 2012 [RESCHEDULED FROM OCTOBER 2]
Times: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Look for the Agenda to be posted October 18.

[Re: The Central Everglades Planning Project FINALLY on its way!!]

With recent (April 2014) SFWMD Board of Governor's action (saying they will commit money to CEPP) the ball is now in US Congress' court. Will CEPP be included in newest WRDA? (which may still be in hands of the conference committee...)

The South Florida Ecosystem Task Force will be meeting in May. Recently the Working Group and Science Coordinating Committee have met. Look for their webcast on line. Word was that the process is moving on with final 30 day review?... on its way to a Chief's Report.

The first 18 months of this stepped-up process accomplished so much. These last few months seem like a drag! But it is so much better than the 6 years the original CERP process took.

Where there is political will there is a way! Make sure Florida has a way to buy and maintain conservation land and our national and state representatives know how important Everglades restoration is to future generations.

Get it done ASAP!!