The Verdantas Team (as Flatwoods Consulting Group, Inc.) was contracted with Coastal Design Consultants, Inc. (Coastal) to obtain necessary state and federal authorizations to expand an existing Pasco County boat ramp. This effort included an ecological assessment to identify and document the presence and/or absence of marine resources within the project footprint. A seagrass survey was conducted in accordance with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Estuarine and Marine SAV Survey Protocols. Based on the results of the survey, Verdantas coordinated with Coastal to ensure the design of the boat ramp expansion met proprietary and regulatory criteria as required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the requirements of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). 

The boat ramp expansion project included widening of the existing ramp and maintenance dredging. Impacts to mangroves were unavoidable and our team developed a mitigation plan to offset impacts as part of the USACE permit application. An Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) from the FDEP and a Letter of Permission (LOP) from the USACE were successfully obtained for the client. We also conducted a follow up site inspection to verify that the mitigation was completed in accordance with the compensatory mitigation plan.