Save Our Indian River Lagoon

From Indian River Lagoon Project
Brevard County's Save Our Indian River Lagoon Program consults with scientists, researchers and stakeholders to determine which local restoration projects should be funded and implemented.

After the 2011 super algae blooms caused massive marine life kills and turned the Indian River Estuary's water green, the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition organized a community effort to restore the Indian River Lagoon national estuary. In response to the public's call for action, Brevard County Natural Resources Department developed the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Plan, to conduct local projects, recommended by researchers and scientists, that would improve the lagoon's water quality and restore the estuary's health. The Brevard County Ordinance calling for a half-cent sales tax to fund and implement the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project was approved by voters on November 8, 2016.

Save Our Indian River Lagoon Organization

Brevard County's Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project researches, plans and implements local projects to improve water quality and the health, productivity, aesthetic appeal, and economic value of the Indian River lagoon. The SOIRL is funded by a ½ cent sales tax approved by Brevard voters on November 8, 2016.

Focus: Reduce pollutants, Remove muck, Restore water filtering ecosystems, Respond to changing conditions.
Region: Mosquito Lagoon, Banana River and North Indian River
Founded: 2016-01-01

Hierarchy

Government Organization:County Government: Save Our Indian River Lagoon

Affiliations

Parent Organizations: Brevard County Natural Resources Management Department

Subsidiaries: Citizens Oversight Committee

Citizen Oversight Committee

As a requirement of Brevard's SOIRL Program, a Citizen Oversight Committee (COC) was formed to provide transparent implementation and funding of the SOIRL program. The COC includes the county's Natural Resources Department Director and 7 community members. Committee Member Information, Meeting agendas and schedules, Progress and Financial Reports, and other archived documents are available on the COC's webpage.

The Brevard County Natural Resources Department's Save Our Indian River Lagoon Citizen Oversight Committee (COC), chaired by a county commissioner, is composed of local business leaders and stakeholders. The committee receives consultation and support from the Florida Institute of Technology's Indian River Lagoon Research Institute (IRLRI), the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), and local IRL advocacy groups. The committee holds monthly public meetings that are live streamed and archived for on-demand viewing.

The COC monitors the SOIRL program to:

  • insure transparent implementation and funding of projects,
  • modify project plans to reflect neccessary changes
  • educate the public on the river's health problems,
  • inform the public on the program's progress.

Focus: Oversee Brevard&#039s Save Our Indian River Lagoon Program
Region: Indian River, Banana River
Founded: 2016-01-01

Hierarchy

Government Organization:County Government: Citizens Oversight Committee

Affiliations

Parent Organizations: Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project

History

In order to make an organized effort to save the Indian River Lagoon, the Florida Sierra Club joined with some 30 other IRL advocacy groups to form the Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition in early 2016.

The Brevard Coalition's first Call to Action occurred on April 20, 2016, at FIT's Gleason Auditorium in Melbourne, Florida, when 500 people gathered to learn about the river's health problems and what could be done to restore the estuary.[1]

The Coalition, scientists, researchers, and financial experts worked with the county's Natural Resources Management Department Director Virginia Barker, to publish the "Save Our Lagoon Project Plan" on July 27, 2016.[2] The original 10-year plan called for over $176 million for muck dredging, $10 million for stormwater projects, $50.7 million for septic system removals and sewer plant upgrades.[3]

On August 9, 2016, the "Save Our Lagoon Plan" was presented to the Brevard County Commission (BCC). On August 23, 2016, the Commission voted 5-0 to approve the ordinance calling for a referendum election on a half-cent sales tax to fund the plan.[1]

On November 8, 2016, 62.3% of Brevard County voters approved a sales tax to fund the $302 million plan to restore the Indian River Lagoon Estuary.[3]

2016 SOIRL Project Plan Presentation

Excerpt from the 2016 SOIRL Project Plan Executive Summary:

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) system includes Mosquito Lagoon, Banana River Lagoon, and Indian River. This is a unique and diverse system that connects Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, and Martin counties. The IRL is part of the National Estuary Program (NEP), one of 28 estuaries of National Significance, and has one of the greatest diversity of plants and animals in the nation. A large portion of the IRL system, 71% of its area and nearly half its length is within Brevard County and provides County residents and visitors many opportunities and economic benefits. View the entire 2016 Save Our Lagoon Project Plan (PDF 91pp 3.1MB).

Click expand to view the 2016 Executive Summary.

2016 Brevard County SOIRL Ordinance

Excerpt from the 2016 Brevard County SOIRL Ordinance:

AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, CALLING A COUNTYWIDE SAVE OUR LAGOON ½ CENT SALES TAX REFERENDUM ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 8, 2016 WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF BREVARD COUNTY ON THE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SHOULD LEVY A ½ CENT INFRASTRUCTURE SALES TAX FOR FINANCING THE COUNTY’S SHARE OF THE COST FOR THE SAVE OUR LAGOON PROJECT PLAN; PROVIDING FOR FINDINGS; CALLING A REFERENDUM; PROVIDING FOR NOTICE OF THE REFERENDUM; PROVIDING FOR BALLOT LANGUAGE; APPROVAL OF SAVE OUR LAGOON PROJECT PLAN; PROVIDING FOR LEVY OF THE ½ CENT SALES TAX FOR RESTORATION OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON; CREATING A SAVE OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON PROJECT TRUST FUND; SAVE OUR LAGOON OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; REPEALER; AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.[4] Download the entire 2016 Brevard County SOIRL Ordinance.

Save Our Indian River Lagoon in 2019

As of December 2019, the SOIRL Trust Fund has collected 123.8 million dollars. The Trust Fund has spent 9.5 million dollars of a projected 486 million dollars over 10 years.

There are currently 64 ongoing projects and 18 completed projects out of 191 planned projects. The SOIRL Story Map displays an interactive view of the plan's completed and ongoing projects.

Current Nitrogen Removed or Prevented totals 16,862 pounds of a projected total of 800,000 pounds over 10 years. Current Phosphorous Removed or Prevented totals 1,220 pounds of a projected total of 100,000 pounds over 10 years.

View the current SOIRL Progress Dashboard.

2019 SOIRL Dashboard


2019 Updated SOIRL Plan

Excerpt about 2019 plan updates from the SOIRL website:

Each year, Brevard County updates the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan to respond to new scientific information, technologies, project opportunities and needs of the Indian River Lagoon. As part of this process, municipalities and other community partners may submit funding requests for projects that can accelerate and/or increase restoration efforts at a comparable cost to the projects listed in the plan. On January 18, 2019, the Citizen Oversight Committee recommended a plan update with 23 new project proposals and reprioritization of wastewater, septic and muck removal projects. The proposed 2019 Update reapportions funds between project types, most notably a $30 million increase for human waste-related projects, a $27 million increase in stormwater projects, and a $37 million decrease in muck removal projects offset by a $21 million increase to provide interstitial water treatment for all dredging projects. The initial 2019 Plan Update was presented to the Board of County Commissioners on February 12, 2019, for their consideration of approval. A Revised Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan 2019 Update[5] was approved by the County Commission during their regular evening meeting on April 9th.[6] View the SOIRL 2019 Project Plan.

SOIRL Financial Report

August 2019 SOIRL Financial Report