BBEETF DISBURSEMENT OF $650K FOR MOORING BUOY PROGRAM

Board of County Commissioners · 2026-07-21 · resolution

The document is a resolution authorizing the disbursement of up to $650,000.00 from the Biscayne Bay Environmental Enhancement Trust Fund for the installation, maintenance, and management of mooring buoys through the Miami-Dade County Mooring Buoy Program. The program protects offshore natural and artificial reefs and includes 54 mooring buoys at 14 popular snorkeling/diving sites from Golden Beach south to the northern border of Biscayne National Park. The buoys are located offshore of Commission District 4, District 5, and District 7. The resolution was adopted on 7/21/2026. The applicant is the Department of Environmental Resources Management, with Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez as prime sponsor. The case file number is 260942, reference R-658-26. The unencumbered balance of the trust fund as of December 31, 2025, is $9,908,471.94. A previous disbursement of $350,000.00 was authorized in 2018 under Resolution No. R-1172-18 and has been fully utilized. The program requires quarterly maintenance by a contractor and interim inspections by DERM staff. The manager of the Restoration & Enhancement Section within DERM, Laura Eldredge, will monitor activities. The item was forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners with a favorable recommendation by the Recreation, Tourism, and Resiliency Committee on 6/9/2026. No public comment or stakeholder sentiment is stated in the document.