Environmentalists and divers sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal officials this week, asking a judge to halt work on a giant sandtrap being constructed near Port Everglades to provide a steady supply of sand for beach renourishment.
The lawsuit filed in Fort Lauderdale federal court argues officials are violating the Endangered Species Act for failing to adequately protect fragile coral and queen conchs near the project.
READ MORE: A giant 'sand trap' off Fort Lauderdale Beach is threatening wildlife and aggravating residents
In their complaint, they say a stretch of coral reef near Port Everglades includes one of the last remaining stands of wild staghorn coral, which were found to be functionally extinct in a study last year after a record-breaking 2023 marine heat wave hit South Florida waters. One of only two documented herds of reproductive conchs also lives nearby shallow waters, they say.
"A lethal barrage of sediment pollution from the Project puts these federally protected species at existential risk," the lawsuit says.
Because of the lawsuit and other ongoing litigation, the Army Corps referred questions to the Department of Justice. DOJ officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Broward County, which was issued the permit to complete the work but not named in the lawsuit, declined to comment.
"The project is at 94% completion and work on the offshore sand trap has been suspended in line with our permit during the spawning season," spokesman Greg Meyer said in response to a request.
The long-planned bypass project is intended to provide an ongoing supply of sand for Broward County's southern eroding beaches by collecting sand trapped just north of Port Everglades, storing in offshore pits and then using it to restore beaches downstream.
After years or planning, county officials say the project was considered the least-damaging solution to stop beaches from washing away.
But Miami Waterkeeper and others claim in the lawsuit that when the Army Corps permitted the project, which will include maintenance dredging every few years, it failed to consider the updated information on the coral and conchs.
"The reef around Port Everglades is home to some of the last staghorn coral surviving in Florida. For reasons we still don't fully understand, they are hanging on right here," Miami Waterkeeper CEO Rachel Silverstein said in a statement. "We are already seeing warning signs that impacts may exceed expectations, and the failure to properly evaluate the gravity of the risks could have dire consequences."
Nearby residents have also complained repeatedly, saying noise and fumes from round-the-clock excavating are ruining their stretch of beach.
The groups want work halted, until the Corps can re-evaluate impacts to the federal protected coral and conchs and come up with better efforts to mitigate the damage. In April, the National Marine Fisheries Service, which says dredging can kill coral, warned the Corps that new information on the coral and conchs warranted taking another look at potential damage.
"The Sand Bypass project threatens more than coral reefs — it threatens the businesses, jobs, and communities that depend on Florida's world-renowned diving resources," Nickel Russell, interim president of the nonprofit Diving Equipment and Marketing Association, said in a statement. "We believe Florida can responsibly manage its coastline while protecting the coral reefs and underwater habitats that support both marine life and the state's coastal economy."
Copyright 2026 WLRN
