Mast Calls for Every Voice To Be Heard on Proposed Jonathan Dickinson State Park Developement

HOBE SOUND, Fla. -Today, Congressman Brian Mast (FL-21)sent a letter to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and its Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) regarding the proposal to open up Jonathan Dickinson State Park for development. In his letter, Congressman Mast is urging the FDEP and ARC to hold a transparent public comment period that allows every citizen to have their voice heard.

"My current understanding of the process is that the entirety of the decision to move forward with this development comes down to a vote by the members of FDEP's Acquisition and Restoration Council. Ahead of the vote, the citizens of my community will have the opportunity to make their voices heard during a public comment meeting scheduled for Tuesday, August 27, 2024," wrote Congressman Mast. "Currently, not one of the ARC's 7 voting members is scheduled to be in attendance at this meeting. Instead, a 'subject matter expert' is slated to speak. This individual is not a member of the ARC and will not be casting a vote in favor or in opposition to moving the development proposal forward."

"The absence of the ARC members at this public comment meeting will deprive them of the ability to hear from the actual public about the impact their decision will have on our community. It also gives the appearance of a box-checking exercise to citizens who deserve to have their voices heard by the actual decision-makers," wrote Congressman Mast. "The proposal to open any state park in Florida for development is the first of its kind. It would be negligent for the ARC members to vote on this proposal without being eye-to-eye with the people actually impacted. The Treasure Coast and Palm Beach communities merit the attendance of every ARC member at the public meeting scheduled for August 27, 2024."

As such, Congressman Mast is urging the FDEP to mandate the attendance of every voting ARC member at a public comment meeting on the proposed project. The full text of the letter is available here.

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