NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE PERMIT AND VARIANCE
The Department of Environmental Protection gives notice of its intent to issue a joint coastal permit (File No. 0269646-001-JC) and variance (Variance No. 0269646-002-EV) to St. Lucie County. The proposed Ft. Pierce Nourishment project is to nourish a 1.3-mile segment of beach south of Ft. Pierce Inlet, between FDEP Reference Monuments R-34 and R-41. The project includes a variable width (125-215 feet) berm with a crest elevation of 8.9 feet NGVD. The construction berm includes a 50-foot design berm width and a width of 75-165 feet for the advance nourishment, at a slope of 1 vertical on 100 horizontal, and a foreshore slope of 1 vertical on 10 horizontal. Approximately 500,000 cubic yards of beach quality material will be placed on the beach for the initial nourishment event, and the project template shall not be exceeded for subsequent events. The material for the initial event will be obtained from a borrow area located approximately 3 miles offshore on Capron Shoal, and subsequent events may combine material from this borrow area with sand bypassed from Ft. Pierce Inlet.
No additional impacts to hardbottom communities will be authorized by this permit. If the Biological Monitoring required for this permit indicates that hardbottom impacts have occurred seaward of the predicted Equilibrium Toe of Fill (ETOF) for Permit No. 0126215-001-JC, regardless of when those impacts may have occurred, additional mitigation will be required. Permit No. 0126215-001-JC, issued in 1998, authorized the placement of 800,000 cubic yards of sand between DEP Reference Monuments R-34 and R-41. Impacts from this placement have been previously mitigated.
The applicant has also requested a variance (File No. 0269646-002-EV) from paragraph 62-4.244(5)(c), F.A.C., to temporarily establish an expanded mixing zone of 150 meters offshore and 1,000 meters downcurrent from the point of sand discharge onto the beach disposal area. Modeling for previous projects showed that the edge of the elevated turbidity plume would extend 150 meters offshore and 1,323 meters downcurrent from the point of sand discharge. However, the Department and
The nourishment site is located between R-34 and R-41, St. Lucie County, Sections 6 and 7, Township 35 S, Range 41 E; Section 1, Township 35 S, Range 40 E; and Section 36, Township 34 S, Range 40 E, Atlantic Ocean, Class III Waters.
The borrow area is located approximately 3 miles offshore on Capron Shoal, Atlantic Ocean, Class III Waters.
A person whose substantial interests are affected by the Departments proposed permitting decision may petition for an administrative hearing in accordance with Sections 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes. The petition must contain the information set forth below and must be filed (received by the clerk) in the Office of General Counsel of the Department at 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000.
Because the administrative hearing process is designed to redetermine final agency action on the application, the filing of a petition for an administrative hearing may result in a modification of the permit or even a denial of the application. Under subsection 62-110.106(4), Florida Administrative Code, a person whose substantial interests are affected by the Departments action may also request an extension of time to file a petition for an administrative hearing. The Department may, for good cause shown, grant the request for an extension of time. Requests for extension of time must be filed with the Office of General Counsel of the Department at
In the event that a timely and sufficient petition for an administrative hearing is filed, other persons whose substantial interests will be affected by the outcome of the administrative process have the right to petition to intervene in the proceeding. Any intervention will be only at the discretion of the presiding judge upon the filing of a motion in compliance with Rule 28-106.205, F.A.C.
In accordance with subsection 28-106.111(2) and subparagraph 62-110.106(3)(a)1., F.A.C., petitions for an administrative hearing by the applicant must be filed within 14 days of receipt of this written notice. Petitions filed by any persons other than the applicant, and other than those entitled to written notice under Section 120.60(3), F.S., must be filed within 14 days of publication of the notice or within 14 days of receipt of the written notice, whichever occurs first. Under Section 120.60(3), F.S., however, any person who has asked the Department for notice of agency action may file a petition within 14 days of receipt of such notice, regardless of the date of publication.
The petitioner shall mail a copy of the petition to the applicant at the address indicated above at the time of filing. The failure of any person to file a petition for an administrative hearing within the appropriate time period shall constitute a waiver of that persons right to request an administrative determination (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S.
A petition that disputes the material facts on which the Departments action is based must contain the following information: (a) The name and address of each agency affected and each agencys file or identification number, if known; (b) The name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner; the name, address, and telephone number of the petitioners representative, if any, which shall be the address for service purposes during the course of the proceeding; and an explanation of how the petitioners substantial interests are or will be affected by the agency determination; (c) A statement of when and how the petitioner received notice of the agency decision; (d) A statement of all disputed issues of material fact. If there are none, the petition must so indicate; (e) A concise statement of the ultimate facts alleged, including the specific facts that the petitioner contends warrant reversal or modification of the agencys proposed action; (f) A statement of the specific rules or statutes that the petitioner contends require reversal or modification of the agencys proposed action, including an explanation of how the alleged facts relate to the specific rules or statutes; and (g) A statement of the relief sought by the petitioner, stating precisely the action that the petitioner wishes the agency to take with respect to the agencys proposed action.
A petition that does not dispute the material facts on which the Departments action is based shall state that no such facts are in dispute and otherwise shall contain the same information as set forth above, as required by Rule 28-106.301, F.A.C. Under Sections 120.569(2)(c) and (d), F.S., a petition for administrative hearing must be dismissed by the agency if the petition does not substantially comply with the above requirements or is untimely filed.
This intent to issue constitutes an order of the Department. The applicant has the right to seek judicial review of the order under Section 120.68, F.S., by the filing of a notice of appeal under rule 9.110 of the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure with the Clerk of the Department in the Office of General Counsel, 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399‑3000; and by filing a copy of the notice of appeal accompanied by the applicable filing fees with the appropriate district court of appeal. The notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days from the date when the final order is filed with the Clerk of the Department.
The application is available for public inspection during normal business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays, at the DEP, Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems,
