The Environmental Protection Agency comments were signed by Ms. Judith Enck, the Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2.  Her comments state “After reviewing the available data, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes that this project will result in significant impacts to aquatic resources of national importance. EPA thus strongly recommends the denial of a Department of the Army permit for this project.”

The fact that the EPA is referring to Coral Bay harbor as an “aquatic resource of national importance” (otherwise known as an ARNI) has great significance in the ability of the EPA to veto any permit granted by the Army Corps if it did not meet the conditions set by the EPA.  And since the EPA is strongly recommending denial, this letter sets up the conditions under which the EPA could veto any permit that might be issued by the Army Corps of Engineers for this project.