Comment EI-21136
Received or sent (printed as 9/26/2015)
As a citizen of Merritt Island, Florida, I am extremely concerned about a private corporation from a foreign country operating a container business in our Port Canaveral. Our Indian River Lagoon, Wildlife Refuge, and critical wetlands are fragile natural jewels that need our protection. To build a heavy cargo freight train near our Indian River Lagoon and through our Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge is destructive to the environment and natural resources which give value and quality to our island community. This action personally harms every citizen in Merritt Island, as well as Brevard County. When a heavy cargo diesel freight train is constructed to run through the island, property values, county revenues, and our quality of life are greatly compromised. To build one through the SR 528 area, where I am a nearby resident, is just as damaging. We are quite happy with being one of the largest cruise terminals in the country. We cannot afford to destroy the jewel of our area and the economic engine of Brevard County and with the possible loss of an annual revenue of $1.2 billion (the economic analysis of revenue to Brevard County coffers from our Indian River Lagoon advantage). As a taxpayer of Brevard County and an active voter, I urge you to support us now. We do not want an industrial port. We want a local business-supporting and tourist-attracting cruise port where we are proud of our home and our community. Major environmental issues we are extremely concerned about include: Indian River Lagoon sea grass construction and obstruction damage; wildlife refuge disruption and permanent damage; wildlife habitat loss; endangered and protected species loss; storm water drainage obstruction; fill material disrupting the flow of lagoon; discharge of dredged material (re: the Clean Water Act); significant reduction of property values; noise pollution; loss of quality of life in multiple areas of concern; air pollution; water pollution and disruption of aquifer storage areas due to the obstruction of vital wetlands that recharge our critical aquifer; accident and fire danger for volatile products; safety and evacuation issues due to hazard waste accidents; security issues in the event of a threat due to proximity of Navy Trident, Air Force satellites, etc.; loss of County revenues from Ecotourism; among other things. Revenues of this venture truthfully do not support Brevard County but stay in the Port’s pockets. Heaven forbid an accident should happen from this venture, which would totally destroy our Banana and Indian River Lagoon system. Sincerely, Suzanne Worland Bennitt 1281 Potomac Drive Merritt Island, FL 32952
Submitted by: Suzanne Worland Bennitt · Merritt Island, FL
The Board publishes this comment in its environmental-comment table for this proceeding. It is quoted here as printed; nothing is inferred from it, and it states the commenter's own position in their own words, not this record's.
Permanent address docketyard.org/d/FD-35852/comment/EI-21136 · back to the docket sheet