U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Response to AAF’s Application Request

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, May 17, 2016   Please see attached PDF Contact: Alia Faraj-Johnson 850-222-4100

Statement by: Brent Hanlon, Chairman of

Citizens Against Rail Expansion in Florida

RE:  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Response to AAF’s Application Request

 

 

“Despite All Aboard Florida’s claims that they are on their way and have satisfied all regulatory requirements, the project’s status with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is far from final.

 

“All Aboard Florida submitted a permit application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) for construction of their proposed passenger railroad,  and just last week the ACOE responded by letting AAF  know that there are wide-ranging deficiencies in their application, and that they have 30 days to provide additional information or their permit application can be denied or deactivated.

 

“By letter, the ACOE noted the large number of public comments generated during the   public comment period for the permit application.  Additionally, the ACOE also heard from Indian River and Martin Counties, who identified deficiencies related to sensitive wetland delineation maps provided by AAF in its application. 

 

“This is yet another reason why regulatory agencies should be skeptical of AAF and should take the concerns expressed by the residents of the Treasure Coast region more seriously.

 

“CARE FL believes a new 30-day public comment period is needed after the new information from AAF is made public.  Why not err on the side of the residents of our community and allow a more reasonable amount of time for experts to review the new information and offer substantive comments for further consideration?

 

“Some of the points made in the ACOE’s letter to AAF include specific steps in an effort for the rail company to avoid denial or deactivation of the permit application, such as:

 

•  Addressing the public comments submitted by other objectors
•  Addressing AAF’s claim that the FEC tracks are the least environmentally damaging alternative when compared to CSX tracks

 

“As AAF continues to navigate the labyrinth of government regulatory hurdles, it is becoming increasingly clear that this misguided project is not even close to clearing these hurdles.”

 

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CARE FL is a coalition created by a group of concerned community leaders, organizations and neighbors in South Florida and the Treasure Coast. Our group continues to grow. We share a common goal: Protecting the safety, welfare and way of life for the families, businesses and retirees who live in and around our communities. To learn more about CARE FL’s concerns, visitwww.care-fl.com orwww.saveourfl.com and follow us on Twitter@CARE_FL.