The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 (EPA) announced on October 25, 2024, the release of a draft modification to a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit previously issued to Ocean Era, Inc. (Ocean Era), for a small-scale marine aquaculture facility approximately 45 miles from Sarasota, off the coast of Florida, in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The draft modification will be subject to a 30-day public comment period.
EPA issued a NPDES permit to Ocean Era in 2022 that allows the discharge of wastewater from an Aquatic Animal Production Facility producing up to 80,000 pounds/year for one production cycle.
The Facility is not yet operating and has not yet been constructed. Information regarding the 2022 permit issuance can be accessed at www.epa.gov/npdes-permits/ocean-era-inc-velella-epsilon-aquatic-animal-production-facility-national-pollutant.
In 2023, Ocean Era submitted a request for permit modification indicating that it will not proceed with the aquaculture project as currently permitted because it intends to make changes to certain aspects of the operation. Specifically, Ocean Era has requested to: 1) change the cultured fish species (from almaco jack to red drum); 2) change the cage net material (from copper to monofilament); and 3) change the type of rearing system (from swivel point mooring system to a stationary cage mooring system).
Many communities that are under economic stress, particularly those located in areas that have experienced long periods of disinvestment, lack the resources needed to initiate brownfield cleanup and redevelopment projects. As brownfield sites are transformed into community assets, they attract jobs, promote economic revitalization and transform communities into sustainable and environmentally just places.
EPA has made a tentative determination to modify the permit based on the project alterations and new information received from Ocean Era. On October 24, 2024, EPA public noticed the draft modified permit package on Regulations.gov.
The EPA is taking comments for a minimum of 30-days on the draft modified permit through Regulations.gov using Docket ID EPA–R04-OW-2024-0113. EPA notes that in the case of a permit modification, only the permit conditions that are proposed to be modified are reopened and subject to public comment. The draft modified permit and other supporting documents can also be accessed on EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/publicnotices/ocean-era-draft-modified-npdes-permit-fl0a00001.
