Florida Wants to Import Sand from the Bahamas
This article from SLATE details how SE Florida, already trucking in sand at great expense from the interior of Florida, now wants to see a change in law at the federal level to allow importation from the Bahamas. Currently federal law effectively prohibits use of imported sand, but the SAND Act (Senate Bill 279) would alter current law to authorize importation of sand for federal projects without limitation.
The benefits to southeast Florida would be much cheaper sand for renourishment projects. However, the Slate article notes that not everyone supports this: the U.S. dredging industry is not excited since this could threaten their virtual monopoly on dredging activities. In addition, in light of the world-wide sand shortage, environmental justice concerns could loom large if the U.S. begins to consume the very sand resources that the Bahamas itself may need for adaptation to rising seas.
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