Imagine diving into the crystal-clear waters offshore of Miami, only to find yourself surrounded by a scene of devastation. A moonscape. The water, once teeming with life, is clouded with sediment, and vibrant coral reefs are now buried beneath a layer of sand. This is the grim reality made manifest by the PortMiami dredging project that occurred from 2013 to 2015. The project resulted in catastrophic damage to adjacent coral reefs, triggering legal action by Miami Waterkeeper and co-plaintiffs. Despite the dredging company’s initial attempts to downplay the environmental impact, subsequent scientific research uncovered extensive coral mortality, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has now released a report that supports our finding that millions of corals were likely killed and at least 278 acres of the Florida Reef Tract were severely impacted.
FOR FLORIDA RESIDENTS ONLY Only emails from Florida residents will be accepted. If you are not from Florida, please sign the petition and look out for upcoming opportunities to get involved and protect this valuable reef!
What you need to know
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is pushing forward a massive dredging project at Port Everglades. Under current plans, this intensive construction project would last five to six years and disturb sediment that would smother the vibrant coral reef sharing its waters.
