Lee County, which owns the Fort Myers Beach Pier, is ready to go. The holdup is the Army Corps of Engineers. Without permits from the Corps. all the county can do is wait. We heard back from the Corps. and what they said does not give us confidence those permits will be issued any time soon.
We heard back from the Army Corp Monday. Here’s what they said when we asked when the permits would be issued:
“The project review is currently in formal consultation with USFWS and NMFS, under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Remaining steps before final approval include review of all responses/approvals/concurrences (such as Biological Opinions (BO) issued by USFWS and NMFS), and final drafting of the permit decision documentation.
At this time, a timeline for a final determination is unknown.
Various factors can affect the length of time for a permit review. As outlined in the Endangered Species Act, a formal consultation with USFWS and NMFS is required before the Corps can make a final permit decision. Prior to making a final permit determination, the Corps is required to evaluate received responses provided by those appropriate agencies related to the proposed project for coordination and consultation under the Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Tribal Trust requirements, and other applicable laws.
Peggy Bebb
Public Affairs Specialist
Corporate Communications Office
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District
904-302-3474
peggy.s.bebb@usace.army.mil
The new pier will be 1,000 feet long and 12 feet wide. That’s 71% longer and 50% wider than the pier destroyed by the storm. The Board of County Commissioners approved over $17 million to build the longer and wider pier back in June of 2024. $11 million for the project will come from Tourist Development Council reserve funds. The balance will be paid by FEMA.
