Environmentalists are speaking out against a proposal to build a cruise port in Manatee County as a way to accommodate large ships that can't pass under the Sunshine Skyway on their way to Port Tampa Bay.
SSA Marine announced it is exploring plans to develop the port near the Gulf side of the Skyway. It would be built on the 330-acre Knott-Cowen tract, on an island just south of the Skyway, and would be developed in partnership with Tampa-based Slip Knott LLC.
SSA said its facility would complement cruise operations at Port Tampa Bay and position the region for future industry growth as ships continue to increase in size and adopt lower-emission technologies.
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As part of its proposal, SSA Marine disclosed it recently acquired environmentally sensitive Rattlesnake Key, an adjacent 710-acre island on Terra Ceia Bay, to prevent private commercial development. The purchase, through the subsidiary Rattlesnake Preservation Co., will allow SSA to work on conservation efforts with local officials, residents and environmental groups, the company said.
Nevertheless, the plan is already drawing scrutiny from environmental advocates and nearby communities concerned about development near sensitive coastal and marine habitats, including the waters surrounding Rattlesnake Key.
A "clown proposal"
Speaking Thursday on "Florida Matters Live & Local," Justin Tramble, executive director of the nonprofit Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, called it a "clown proposal."
"This is something that has already generated a significant amount of uproar amongst our community," Tramble said. "We're talking about a pristine part of our estuary, one that has such significant ecological value. And I'll say this one that already has, in its current state, a significant amount of economic value."
Tramble, whose organization works to preserve the Tampa Bay watershed, said members of the environmental community were in "total shock" when they heard about the proposal.
"If you look at a map, you'll see that they'd have to go through quite a dense area of mangroves even to reach the site of their property. So I can't see any benefit really. Of course, there are some people who you know would think money first, but for the whole of Manatee County, I think it should be a very negative impact."Rusty Chinnis, fisherman and chairman of Suncoast Waterkeeper
"How could that happen to this part of Tampa Bay?" Tramble said. "So when I say clown proposal, it is egregious and shocking that that part of Tampa Bay could one day become an area for massive cruise ships. Is shocking, and it'd be hard to make up that. It's blunt. That's how our community is looking at this idea, this concept."
SSA estimates the construction phase of the project would generate more than 31,000 jobs statewide and regionally, both directly and indirectly, and boost labor earnings by about $1.6 billion. Cruise operations, the company said, would also support jobs in hospitality, transportation, logistics and maritime services.
Tramble countered the environment already provides a significant economic impact.
"A healthy watershed accounts for one in 10 jobs in our region. I mean, over $30 billion of total economic output," Tramble said. "This idea, this concept, this proposal, that that we've got in front of us right now would be sort of counter to those things, counter to the economic importance of a healthy estuary. So our community is certainly watching this closely,"
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Rusty Chinnis, a fisherman and chairman of Suncoast Waterkeeper, said the impacts of dredging a channel deep enough for cruise ships near that site would be devastating.
"If you look at a map, you'll see that they'd have to go through quite a dense area of mangroves even to reach the site of their property," Chinnis said. "So I can't see any benefit really. Of course, there are some people who you know would think money first, but for the whole of Manatee County, I think it should be a very negative impact."
Added Tramble: "A project like this, (SSA Marine) would be offering some mitigation. They would have to remove a significant amount of mangroves to do that, which would be part of their permit, and we would be fighting that."
A petition on change.org against the proposed port had more than 8,600 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.
The county's response
SSA Marine's statement emphasized the proposal remains in the exploratory phase and would be subject to public review and regulatory approval. According to reports, the company has begun very preliminary discussions with county officials.
And on Wednesday, the county released a statement to "Florida Matters Live & Local:"
"The Manatee Board of County Commissioners have not yet considered this item on an agenda. So an official comment from the board is forthcoming. Manatee County evaluates opportunities related to tourism and economic development through a public data-driven process that considers economic benefits, community and environmental impacts and overall quality of life."
Meanwhile, this week, another Tampa developer announced it was considering a plan to convert an island near the port location into a private resort. K.C. Coastal owns 13-acre Eds Key, which is across tiny Miguel Bay from the Knott-Cowen tract. K.C. Coastal would include executive villas, crew housing, a beach club, a tiki bar and a water taxi terminal.
