Wednesday’s story on the Port of Miami, “Miami dredging faces lengthy delay,” reported that a judge would hear the case involving petitions by environmental and neighborhood groups opposing the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s decision to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deep dredge the Miami ship channel. The judge referred to in the story is an administrative law judge within the Department of Environmental Protection, not a federal court judge.
The administrative law judge has up to 30 days from the filing of the hearing transcript to enter his ruling. The department then has up to 45 days if the judge recommends a permit be issued, or 90 days if the judge recommends denial of the permit, to enter a final order.
The department’s decision can be appealed within 30 days.
CLARIFICATION: Dredging Miami’s port
