Specifications

Section 1 Introduction
EAA Storage Reservoirs Revised Draft PIR and EIS February 2006
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once wet prairies into aquatic sloughs, and conversion of sawgrass marshes into
cattails and wet prairie communities.
1.5 PROJECT PARTNERS
For the purposes of NEPA and preparation of this report, SFWMD is the non-
Federal sponsor and, as part of the CERP partnership, has several roles as
defined in the following Florida Statutes:
• Florida Statute 373.470 (3)(c) requires the completion of a PIR prior to
SFWMD entering into a Project Cooperation Agreement with USACE;
• Florida Statute 373.026 (8)(b) requires SFWMD submit a PIR to the
FDEP for approval prior to the allocation of funds for the construction of
CERP projects; and,
• Florida Statute 373.1501(5) requires SFWMD to analyze and evaluate
water supply, water quality, flood protection, threatened and endangered
species, and other natural system and habitat needs and to determine
that components of the Plan are feasible, efficient, cost-effective, and
consistent with CERP purposes.
The missions of USACE are environmental restoration, flood damage reduction,
coastal navigation, regulatory permitting, shore protection, water supply,
recreation, and emergency management. SFWMD is a regional agency of the
State of Florida, and is charged with managing and protecting water resources of
the region by balancing and improving water quality, flood control, natural
systems and water supply.
While USACE’s missions of environmental restoration, flood damage reduction,
regulatory permitting and emergency management may affect the project, it is
not anticipated that they will detract from the goals and objectives of the EAA
Storage Reservoirs Project. It can also be said that SFWMD’s missions of
balancing and improving water quality, flood damage reduction, natural systems
and water supply should have no detrimental effect on the goals and objectives
of the EAA Storage Reservoirs Project.
While not officially noted as cooperating agencies for the purposes of NEPA, the
following state and federal agencies are members of the EAA Storage Reservoirs
Project Team, and have contributed to the development of the PIR/EIS: U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(USEPA), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), and
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). These agencies are
considered to be partners in CERP projects.