Support to the Alternatives Development Group in Conjunction with the Southwest Florida Environmental Impact Statement

PMCL was contracted to provide support to the Alternatives Development Group in conjunction with the Southwest Florida Environmental Impact Statement. The Alternatives Development Group was charged with the development of alternatives to be considered in the Environmental Impact Statement for the region. The study area includes the Lee and Collier Counties. PMCL's role was to develop and facilitate a consensus-based decision-making process to be used in a group of diverse stakeholders for establishing future conditions of the region. Stakeholder groups include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmenta Protection Agency (EPA), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Department of Community Affairs, the Lee and Collier County Commissioners, South Florida Regional Planning Council, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, development interests, and property owners.

The group's objective was to develop alternatives that address the need for economic growth while taking into account regional water management, species habitat, and loss of wetlands. PMCL utilized a factor analysis approach based on the issues to be addressed by the Alternatives Development Group. These factors encompassed ecological, economic, and social indicators for the evaluation of land-use alternatives. Some factors were based on information from a geographic information system (GIS) and technical data and others utilized best professional judgment. The ten-meeting process resulted in alternatives that are included in the Environmental Impact Statement for the study area. These alternatives will aid the Corps in their permit decision-making process.