New Investments in Minutemen Causeway Improvements

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has awarded nearly $7 million in funding for improvements to the Minutemen Causeway in Brevard County’s Cocoa Beach.

These improvement projects will help protect the health of the Indian River Lagoon by reducing nutrients and treating stormwater runoff.

“Funding for these important Minutemen Causeway improvement projects helps us to restore and protect the Indian River Lagoon,” said Trina Vielhauer, director of the Division of Water Restoration Assistance.

“The combination of projects will have a big effect by significantly reducing pollutants and improving water quality of one of the state’s most valuable natural resources.”

To further improve the lagoon’s water quality, the department is identifying additional wastewater and stormwater projects that reduce the amount of nutrients entering the lagoon and dredge projects that remove muck from the bottom of the lagoon, which also feeds algae blooms.

For this fiscal year, nearly $26 million from the Florida First budget will be invested in future water-quality-improvement projects in the Indian River Lagoon, which includes a $21.5 million muck dredging project.

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