VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A construction project aimed at easing traffic congestion in Volusia County may be halted due to environmental concerns.
The Pioneer Trail interchange project near Interstate 95 is designed to reduce traffic at I-95 and Dunlawton Avenue and State Road 44, as well as improve hurricane evacuation safety. However, it involves over 60 acres of federally protected wetlands, which are currently flooded.
But a nonprofit group in the county says the Florida Department of Transportation didn’t do enough environmental impact studies.
An injunction filed by the group says FDOT used what’s called a categorical exclusion for the project, meaning they didn’t find any significant impact on the environment, and the project doesn’t need additional review.
By law, to get approved to build on wetlands, FDOT must first prove there is no other option. Then, FDOT has to explain how it will minimize impacts to the environment.
If there are impacts during the construction, FDOT has to compensate for the damage by creating, restoring or enhancing wetlands.
The judge hasn’t reviewed the injunction yet.
The Army Corps of Engineers was served the paperwork Wednesday.
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