Feds issue Cease and Desist Order to shut down beach project

From Palm Beach County Reef Rescue:

Amid reports of massive silt plumes and coral reef burial the US Corp of Army Engineers, on Friday (April 1, 2011), issued an order to the Town of Hillsboro Beach to immediately cease beach renourishment activities. A copy of the order can be viewed at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/52174475/C-D-ICA-NON .

Environmental groups have been gathering evidence since the project began in mid-March of daily permit violations that have resulted in silt plumes travelling for miles beyond compliance requirements. Cleanup and mitigation costs for project environmental impacts could exceed many millions of dollars.

On Sunday March 27, beach-goers braved a sea of mud as silt levels measured 10 times the project permitted standards. (Reef Rescue photo)