Take action

1. Find the notice

Army Corps (federal): Jacksonville District posts environmental documents and public notices; comment periods are usually listed on each notice (USACE SAJ environmental documents; SAJ regulatory public notices).
Florida DEP (state): beach projects need a Joint Coastal Permit (JCP). Notices of intent appear in the Florida Administrative Register, and DEP's Beaches, Inlets and Ports program handles them.
County: funding and contract awards go before county commissions. Check agendas (e.g., Pinellas Legistar) and your county's coastal or beach program page. Use our tracker to find the sponsor.

2. What to ask for

Pre/post monitoring of mole crabs, coquinas and ghost crabs, with control beaches.
Published grain-size data showing the fill meets Rule 62B-41.007(2)(j) and matches native sand.
Timing windows outside peak invertebrate recruitment and nesting seasons where feasible.
Phased placement or refuge strips to speed recolonization.

3. Template: permit comment

[Date]
[Agency contact named in the public notice]
RE: Public notice [number] / permit application [number] – [beach name] sand placement

I am a [resident/angler/visitor] of [area] and I'm writing about the proposed sand placement at [beach]. I ask that the permit:
1. Require pre- and post-placement counts of mole crabs (Emerita), coquina clams (Donax) and ghost crabs, at the project and at an untouched control beach, for at least two years.
2. Publish the grain-size and shell-content analysis of the borrow sand next to native-beach samples, and verify after placement that fill meets Rule 62B-41.007(2)(j).
3. Schedule placement to avoid the spring and summer recruitment season of beach invertebrates and shorebird and sea turtle nesting where feasible.
4. Place sand in phases or leave unfilled refuge strips so animals can recolonize from nearby.

Please include this comment in the record and notify me of the decision.
[Name, address, email]

4. Template: letter to county commissioners

[Date]
[County Commissioners / Beach program manager]
RE: [Project name] – please add beach-life monitoring

Our county is spending [amount, from sandlife.org/projects] on [project]. Studies show mole crabs and coquinas can drop 86–99% after nourishment (Peterson et al. 2000). These animals feed pompano, shorebirds and the fishing tourism our economy depends on.

I ask the county to: add invertebrate monitoring to the scope; request compatible sand with published grain-size data; and time construction outside peak recruitment and nesting seasons where possible.
[Name, address]

Fill in the brackets from the official notice. Please keep comments factual and polite, since agencies must consider substantive comments in the record.

5. Tell us

Saw a dredge pipe or sand trucks? Report it so we can add it to the tracker.