“OUR VOICES ARE BEING HEARD”

After a decade of advocacy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers withdraws its state permit application for the Port Everglades dredging project, which put more than 10 million corals at risk.

By Yulia Strokova

Photo by Evan D Alessandro

Just offshore from Port Everglades, the water does not immediately reveal what lies beneath.

From the surface, it is a working coastline. Cargo ships move in and out, channels are carved for navigation, and the steady rhythm of one of Florida’s busiest ports continues.

But below that surface, just beyond the dredged edges of the channel, another world begins.

Patches of reef stretch across the ocean floor, some sparse, others still alive with movement. Staghorn corals extend outward in fragile, branching formations. Schools of fish move through their structures. In quieter areas, queen conch gather in one of the few remaining breeding grounds in the region.

This is part of Florida’s Coral Reef, the only nearshore reef system in the continental United States. It has already lost more than 80% of its coral cover since the 1970s.

Photo by Noah Edwards

A FRAGILE BALANCE

The proposed expansion of Port Everglades aimed to deepen and widen its shipping channels to accommodate larger vessels.

But beneath that goal was a level of ecological risk that scientists described as unprecedented.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the project could have resulted in impacts to more than 10 million corals, “the largest impact to coral reefs permitted in U.S. history.”

Among those at risk were some of the last remaining wild stands of staghorn coral in Florida, once abundant across the Caribbean and now nearly gone.

“The amount of harm this project could do to our corals is staggering,” said Elise Bennett of the Center for Biological Diversity.

“Our corals, queen conch, and other vulnerable coastal creatures help make Florida a special place, and we can’t let them be annihilated by reckless dredging.”

The threat extended beyond coral.

Sediment plumes from dredging could drift across reef systems and smother marine life. Blasting activities posed risks to dolphins. A nearby queen conch breeding site, already fragile, could have been disrupted.

Photo by Evan D Alessandro

HARD LESSONS

The urgency surrounding Port Everglades was shaped by what happened just a few miles south.

During the PortMiami dredging project between 2013 and 2015, sediment spread far beyond predicted limits, covering reefs and contributing to widespread coral loss.

For many advocates, it was a turning point.

A reminder that once disturbance begins in marine systems, it cannot be easily contained and that so-called acceptable impact can quickly become irreversible damage.

A DECADE OF ADVOCACY

Over the past ten years, a coalition of scientists, environmental organizations, divers, and community members has raised concerns about the deep dredge.

Groups including Miami Waterkeeper, Florida Wildlife Federation, and Earthjustice helped  lead the effort through years of research and community engagement, including technical comment letters and public meetings.

More than 35,000 people signed petitions calling for the project to be stopped.

In a significant development, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has withdrawn its state permit application for the Port Everglades Expansion Dredging project.

The agency has indicated that elements of the project are being reconsidered.

For those who have spent years advocating for the reef, the decision represents a meaningful shift.

“This hard-fought pause is more than a decade in the making and could not have come at a more critical time for the future of our coral reefs,” said Dr. Rachel Silverstein, CEO of Miami Waterkeeper.

“Our advocacy is working, and our voices are being heard. But until there is clear confirmation that this project will not move forward in a way that harms our reefs and water quality, we must remain vigilant.”

Dr. Rachel Silverstein, Miami Waterkeeper | Photo by Noah Edwards

THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER

Florida’s Coral Reef is not only ecologically significant. It is also economically and physically protective.

By reducing wave energy by an average of 95%, it provides an estimated $675 million annually in coastal protection.

It supports fisheries, tourism, and the broader coastal identity of South Florida.

At the same time, it is increasingly fragile.

Projects of this scale do not occur in isolation. They add to existing stress from climate change, warming waters, pollution, and disease.

For many, the withdrawal of the permit reflects a growing understanding of these cumulative risks.

“This milestone is the product of years of determined work by those who refused to accept the destruction of one of Florida's most extraordinary ecosystems,” said Sarah Gledhill of the Florida Wildlife Federation.

Despite this progress, advocates are clear that the project is not fully stopped.

It may return in a revised form.

Other dredging activities near Port Everglades continue to raise concerns, particularly around sediment plumes that could impact nearby marine life.

Danika Desai of Earthjustice added, “We will continue to monitor the situation to make sure the relevant agencies comply with their obligations to protect the vulnerable species and habitat at risk.”

In ecosystems where recovery can take decades and destruction can happen in days, time matters.

“The battle is not over,” noted Nicole Russell of the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association,

The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA), representing thousands of scuba divers in Florida, is calling for continued public engagement to protect the reef for future generations.

“DEMA encourages divers from Florida and across the U.S. who value these incredibly beautiful coral reefs in Fort Lauderdale to stay involved and continue urging state and federal officials to put an end to this harmful dredging project,” said Nicole Russell, Interim CEO and President of DEMA.

“The battle is not over.”