SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation recently joined the National Audubon Society, Audubon Florida, National Parks Conservation Association, National Wildlife Federation, Everglades Foundation, Florida Oceanographic Society, Everglades Law Center and Conservancy of Southwest Florida in submitting public comments supporting the progression of the Lake Okeechobee Component A Storage Reservoir (LOCAR).

“The Lake Okeechobee Component A Reservoir (LOCAR) is the largest Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan storage feature north of the lake, representing a major advancement toward meeting the 200,000-acre-foot storage goals for the area,” the letter states. “When complete, this project will increase storage and treatment capacity north of the lake — a need underscored by high lake levels and recent releases to the coastal estuaries.”

“By storing more water during the wetter months and releasing it when it is dry, this project will help stabilize the system and hopefully prevent some of the damaging releases,” SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis added.

The SCCF reported that with the final feasibility study for LOCAR complete, the next step will be to move to the construction phase.

To read the comments, visit https://sccf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/LOCAR-EIS-Support-Letter_2-26-24.pdf.