Dredging NS for cheap fill ‘unjustifiable’, says DoE
(CNS): The request by a speculative developer of a potential private retirement home to dredge the North Sound seabed to get cheap fill for the project should be rejected, the Department of Environment has urged in a review of the coastal works application. Technical experts detailed the environmental disaster such dredging would cause and said that if the project isn’t viable without destroying acres of publicly-owned natural and undisturbed seabed, it should not be approved.
“The precedent and environmental effects of permitting a developer to destroy the marine environment in order to access cheaper fill to move off-site are unjustifiable,” the DoE said in its review of the proposed dredging.
“The developer should instead procure market-rate fill from licensed quarries or an alternative viable site for the retirement home. Allowing a private developer to develop a quarry on public property — the Crown seabed — undermines the licensed quarrying activities that fall under the Development and Planning Regulations, the land-use planning system and the government’s duty to preserve the marine environment for the entire Cayman Islands.”
The DoE detailed the severe detrimental environmental impacts of the proposed project on healthy mangroves and the seabed. If the coastal works licence for the developers, Pierce Holdings (Cayman) Ltd, was approved, over six acres of mangrove habitat and 2.6 acres of sensitive, publicly-owned natural and undisturbed seabed would be lost.
“The primary direct and irreversible impact of dredging is the absolute physical removal and permanent loss of the ecologically productive bottom substrate,” the DoE explained in the extensive review. “Dredging has also been known to change water circulation, tidal flow, and water levels, as well as allowing seawater inundation of land and augmenting the likelihood of creating anoxic (oxygen deprived) waters on the sea floor of the borrow pits and canals.”
Even though the applicant has indicated the use of silt screens, the DoE said previous projects have shown it is just not possible to eliminate the impact of the sediment plumes generated during a dredging project of this scale, particularly when the sediments contain a high percentage of silt, as is typical of the nearshore sediments in the North Sound
“The habitat in the footprint of the proposed channel consists of dense seagrass beds and consolidated coarse sediments colonised with marine algae, sea grasses, sponges, and coral colonies. It is a valuable marine habitat that has remained relatively undisturbed, and following historical dredging projects, represents a now scarce habitat for the North Sound, which typically support a variety of fauna living in sediments, invertebrate and fish communities,” the experts said.
In the application, the developers indicated that the purpose of dredging is to cut the fill costs for a proposed assisted living complex, under the Greta’s Grotto brand, in West Bay on a low-lying mangrove wetland site located at Block 8A Parcels 86 and 96 near Barkers to the east of Papagallo Pond. There is no planning permission application for this project or for any development on the site where they wish to dredge.
But the developers appear to want to use land they own at Block 20C Parcel 176 in George Town to dredge a large navigational channel through the North Sound to connect to a man-made lake on the parcel and access fill.
The DoE urged Cabinet, which makes the decisions about coastal works applications, not to grant a licence and pointed out a number of options open to the developer has.
“The precedent of this project is unacceptable, as there are no exceptional circumstances which signal the need to grant this developer access to cheaper fill through impacts to the marine environment,” the DoE stressed. “It would likely open the door to all other developers who would like to find cost-savings for materials and look to the publicly-owned natural resources for their own profit.”
The DoE said it does not support dredging in the North Sound and points out the ongoing impact that historic dredging has already had there with the loss of habitat and marine life that has never recovered.
See the full DoE report on the application in the CNS Library.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: development, Local News, Marine Environment, Science & Nature
What’s the point of having a national council if they cannot even debate for the environment? There must be an oversight committee that is required to investigate this approval outside of policy. These politicians are out of control. Maybe His Majesty King Charles can step in and provide his view? This action is irresponsible and is not considering the detriment to this island and future generations to come. Investigate who owns land along this proposed road.
I should have learned by now not to be surprised by anything the Government or the CPA does.
What is the benefit to Cayman of a private retirement home? How many Caymanians will retire there?
I was told that it is intended for overseas residents, so are we now importing the elderly with all their age related issues when our cemeteries are filling up fast, our medical facilities are strained and garbage is an ever present problem. Stop and consider that a retirement home will make a big contribution to the dump, including a lot disposables and medical waste, the residents will add to the strain on our medical facilities, and end of life concerns are inevitable.
As for this dredging proposal, it should not even be considered. Why waste time doing research and reports on such lunacy! We are not so gullible that we entertain every featherbrained scheme coming from people who have no respect or regard for our environment. Just say no.
Where are the voices for the environment?
Cant hear them over the noise of tbe excavators
They have gone too far. We need the dredge DoE.
Why? Why? Why? CIG please stop allowing the destrucción of our natural environment.
When we destroy our natural environment, then we are going to bite off the hand that is feeding us.
I am a Caymanian who has traveled the world quite extensively. I have seen beaches that are eqvilatent to our 7, 5, or 4 Mile Beach that we have, water that are just as crystal clear with abundance of marine life, friendlier people, prices that are much lower and tourism products that are equal to the quality that we brag about here, and that are doing everything possible to preserve their culture, their heritage and their natural environment for their people and generations to come.
Cayman isn’t all that it use to be and because of GREED. Our islands are losing their ‘appeal’. Who do we think are going to suffer most when God forbid tourism crumbles, then the economy and then the social fabric of our society?
People wake up and understand that we MUST make it known to CIG, MoP, Real Estate Moguls, Foreign Wealthy Investors that their time is now limited and their BS is not going to be accepted any longer.
Who and why are we developing these islands for? Rest assured the economical hardships, the wraft of mother nature and the downfall of these beloved islands are coming if we do not change our ways and mindset.
My heart cries out for our people especially the young and the generations to come. I doubt they will ever have the privilege of understanding how beautiful these islands were and Google will do them no justice.
I pray that we understand that our government -past and present – will be held accountable for the destruction of the Cayman Islands. What a hell of a legacy these people will have to bear.
Stop the EW bypass extension. This in itself is going to kill the north sound!
I say let them do it. There is no where left to fish. It’s all reserved for divers
I usually don’t comment, but I will in hopes PACT sees this. This is so ridiculous it makes me want to curse. It cannot happen. Please take DOE’s advice. All of this development happening in Cayman: the average person can’t buy property and struggling to buy food and pay CUC. Now, on top of this, uno want to sink the Island and at the first sign of it, all the rich people will causally fly abroad to other homes. Don’t get me started on the ten floor buildings. Do what uno get paid to do, act in the public’s interest. So infuriated this is even being considered, it should be an outright rejection.
Last evening I caught part of the Premier’s debate . When I tuned in he was talking about “the Everglades in Florida” so I imagine he was talking about this proposed dredging and also about the East-West Arterial because he mentioned that he does not want children sleeping in cars?? Sounds like he was pushing back on one of his ministers. He was all over the place, I find it very sad and non professional that he has to get on TV and disagree with his own hand- picked ministers. I always thought that they would try to get on the same page during their caucus meetings so at least when they debated publicly they would give the impression thst they were “together” he kept saying “I might not be here. but………….” I don’t know much about politics but right know I believe he has lost the plot and he should ask the Governor to dissolve parliament and call early election.
Face facts Cayman. If Bush say’s it can be done than nothing else matters. No one else can say what will be or won’t be done here. What say the King of Cayman on this?
What sort of person thinks that acceptable? Says all you really need to know about ‘developers’
Developers, investors and real estate cabal
Caymanians
this is totally unacceptable and IF allowed will set a VERY dangerous precedent.Un freaking believable that this is even being considered.
Pete our politicians came from humble beginnings to the point they need SUVs like the president of USA to drive around in. More development means more money for government and in turn means bigger pay checks and benefits meanwhile the people hungry, unable to buy a home, can’t afford their bills. Billion dollars in revenue yet people are going without. Help me make sense of this madness!!
I am in disbelief that someone was ballsy enough to even make such an application… what next?
Everybody up a top is acting surprised, but surely they know who is allowing it to happen.
Will the PACT have the guts to say no to this.
This is a joke, right? right?!
Cabinet, CPA, Developers, whomever, please listen to DoE!!
Don’t dredge mi yaad ,Dred.
Meanwhile they are chipping the Brac’s Bluff down as fast as they can and barging it to Grand. Will the madness ever stop?
Nope
DOE don’t care about the Brac.
Nobody paying attention to Schilling’s quarry expansion plan on the bluff meanwhile. DOE, where u deh?
Bad. Agreed.
But how and why did successive boards allow the seat of GC and CB with massive holes (some water filled and some dry and empty) all over these Islands?
Some are even below water table.
Some were Crown Land quarried ie Stolen!!
We are a flat fragile place made from porous Limestone!!
Crown land wasn’t stolen to quarry! Government at that time was the largest customer of quarried materials, so please explain how it was stolen with some many greedy polictians benefiting at that time?
Tell us each of the beneficial owners of these applicants please with no hiding behind anonymous front companies.
That is none of your business as these investors take a huge risk to tie up their money to do these wonderful projects. Besides this picture looks like it is phony anyway. That area is dead now.
So you one of them. leave our seabed alone. i Hear they selling land in the Florida Everglade.
Nosy Nellie. what do you need that info for? Check the RoC.
It would be different if tyey were using their own land. But they aren’t, so come clean.
Pierce Holdings Ltd is the applicant that made the request to dredge, according to the DOE coastal works review. Doesn’t mean they are the developers but you could do more investigations to figure out the beneficial owners. Cayman is small…
The fact that bad decisions which caused horrible damage happened in the past is not an excuse to make more bad decisions that cause more damage.
The developers can buy full from a quarry like everyone else. They can build a retirement home in an appropriate location.
They should not get a free pass to quarry public Crown land to save themselves a bit of money.
Stop making excuses for greed.
Do something. Call/WhatsApp/email your MP.
Ask them to object to this for-profit destruction
soon dredge our back yards! lol
Past mistakes should not excuse or impact present poor decisions. The developers should buy fill from licensed quarries and find an appropriate alternative site for the retirement home.
Quarrying the sea bed – the Crown’s sea bed – to save money – causing untold damage is wicked greed.
Except when your name is Briggs and CIG pays Harbour House Marina to dredge it. Then it’s okay, apparently.
What are you talking about? Wich project was that?
In case you’re new here or haven’t noticed, these lands are rife with wickedness.
This cannot stand. Yes, there is a need to care for elders. No, dredging the North Sound for cheap fill to cut costs, destroying coral, sea grass, devastating the nursery of fish and sea animals, fouling the water is not the way.
LISTEN to those who are charged with protecting the environment! DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!
Push this thru as it is a wonderful idea to cut costs for the developers. Just look at how many jobs will be created.
Another brainless, witless, clown of whom there seem to be more and more in Cayman these days
As the population grows.
Let Dart clean out the North Sound so we can get all the mega yachts into Camana Bay. This will be great for our economy!
It was on his original plans to have a full marina & yacht basin
No it wasn’t.
Unless they are diving fanatics or have a submarine garage, privately-owned yachts, their owners, and guests aren’t interested in the Cayman Islands. Nobody in that league is leaving the mainland USA, churning across hundreds of miles of sea at $10,000 an hour, and risk damage to their boat, to seek out the tacky UHNW-repelling offerings of the provincial middle-class mall that is Camana Bay. There is nothing here for them.
This is actually insane, if CPA approves this there needs to be mass protests. This is madness, XXXX to even suggest this is beyond fathoming. allowing dredging for cheap fill? really? is that a joke?
CNS: This has nothing to do with the CPA. As stated in the article, coastal works licences are decided by Cabinet.
Correct, CNS. “Scratching the Queens bottom”, as it is colloquially known as, requires a costal works license, which is granted at the discretion of the Cabinet.
The CPA will then approve the project associated with the coastal works license, which is what they needed the fill for to begin with. In this case the potential private retirement home project. So it’s all connected and should be denied by all relevant authorities.
And cabinet will approve this just like they did the EW extension…..Greed is killing our environment. Somebody please help us!!
I don’t recall the DOE objecting to the canal and dredging for Diamond’s Edge on the North Sound.
Don’t recall them objecting to any of the dredging which created what is now “The Shores” in West Bay either. Funny how that works.
I don’t recall all you cry babies lapping up the money and great paying jobs that all this development has brought to Cayman.
There’s not enough capacity on the Islands to support any sustainable development and I suspect these decisions by a few at the DOE will eventually halt development. All the quarries put together cant even produce 250k yards of materials annually so this means the government is unable complete any large infrastructure projects.
When was the last time government did a large infrastructure project? Esterly Tibbetts,right? Only downhill from here if they don’t make tough decisions!
No dredging in the North Sound! Why are they even discussing this.