Environmental advocates and neighbors warn a terminal could threaten one of Tampa Bay\u2019s last undeveloped coastal areas.<\/p>\n
TERRA CEIA, Fla. \u2014 Residents, environmental advocates and lawmakers in Manatee County<\/a> are voicing concerns over plans that could bring a cruise port to waters near Rattlesnake Key, one of the last remaining undeveloped coastal areas in Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n Environmental experts say a project of that scale in Terra Ceia could have yearslong impacts on water quality, wildlife and the surrounding community.<\/p>\n \u201cI have a whole lot of faith in this community. We know that our water and our environment is really the core to how we have fun, how we feed our families. We know that this is part of our core culture and identity. We also know it’s what is driving our economy,\u201d said Maya Burke of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.<\/p>\n Burke echoed the sentiments of many residents living near Rattlesnake Key, who say a cruise port would drastically change their way of life and threaten sensitive habitats. Residents who declined to go on camera told 10 Tampa Bay the water in the area is very shallow, meaning construction would likely be lengthy. They also raised concerns about increased traffic, noise and pollution, saying those impacts make them willing to fight the proposal.<\/p>\n Last week<\/a>, the Manatee County legislative delegation said House Bill 4073<\/a> had been withdrawn. While the bill was not directly linked to the construction of a cruise port, it outlined jurisdiction and proposed changes related to Seaport Manatee<\/a>, raising concerns among residents about future development near Rattlesnake Key.<\/p>\n Now, a private entity, SSA Marina, is pursuing the possibility of a cruise terminal.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to trust in the regulatory processes at the county, state and federal level to make sure that we avoid impacts, second, minimize impacts and then third, if those impacts did occur, that we would be mitigating them so they have an additive value of more clean water and more habitats elsewhere in the watershed,\u201d Burke said.<\/p>\n With that new legislative change at the state level, leaders are saying they want to continue to listen and adapt with any new potential plans for the port on these waters.<\/p>\n Senate Majority Leader Jim Boyd also sent a statement to 10 Tampa Bay addressing the potential cruise port, saying in part:<\/p>\n “Though the option to buy Rattlesnake Key no longer exists, my mission to save the island has not wavered. The wetlands, estuaries and coastlines of Tampa Bay are the heart of our community,” Sen. Boyd said. “The health of these ecosystems is inseparable from our quality of life, our economy and the legacy we leave for future generations.”<\/p>\n Lawmakers previously secured $23 million in 2022 to purchase the property for conservation, but the acquisition was never approved. The land is now owned by SSA Marine, which is exploring the possibility of a cruise terminal.<\/p>\n In a statement to 10 Tampa Bay, the company said, \u201cSSA Marine is at the beginning of engaging with the community to discuss our vision for the region, which is rooted in the idea of protecting and conserving Rattlesnake Key, while creating long-term economic opportunities on the Knott-Cowen tract.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy sort of first reaction was ‘here we go again.’ But all of those times, really in the end, it didn’t come to be a place where whatever was proposed or contemplated was a higher and better use of that land than the wetlands and habitats than they currently are,\u201d Burke said.<\/p>\n The Manatee County legislative delegation said its priorities remain protecting and conserving the region\u2019s natural beauty while making well-timed decisions about the future of Seaport Manatee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Environmental advocates and neighbors warn a terminal could threaten one of Tampa Bay\u2019s last undeveloped coastal areas. 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