The Florida Senate unanimously passed SB 302 last week, which includes an amendment prohibiting dredging in the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve near Rattlesnake Key in Manatee County. The measure, championed by Republican Sen. Jim Boyd of Bradenton, is aimed at blocking a proposed cruise terminal south of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
However, the bill’s path is uncertain. The companion bill in the House does not yet include the same dredging ban language, meaning the cruise port proposal submitted by SSA Marine could still advance if the House version isn’t revised. Manatee County Commissioner Tal Siddique said he has been told matching language will be added in the House, and that he does not expect the project to come before county commissioners for at least another year or two.
SSA Marine, the company behind the cruise port proposal, declined an interview but said in a statement that it is committed to environmental stewardship and economic opportunity, and looks forward to continued dialogue with the community.
Locally, opposition has been vocal. Corey McKeever, owner of McKeever’s Marine in Manatee County, launched a petition against the project that gathered more than 19,000 signatures. McKeever, who has lived in the county for decades, says he fears the cruise terminal would fundamentally change the area’s character and harm its ecosystem.
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