CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED

Good afternoon all.

As I'm sure everyone knows, the Jacksonville District initiated development of a new Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) earlier this year. As a part of the process moving forward from the scoping phase to the formulation phase of the LOSOM effort, we are establishing an interagency Project Delivery Team (PDT) to assist with the development of the new LOSOM.Formal letters have been sent to your agencies via mail this week, but I wanted to give you a heads up on that invitation to designate a representative to be a member and your point of contact for this PDT.

Your representative will participate in the development of the LOSOM to ensure that your agency's input, comments, and concerns are included and addressed. Participation as a PDT member will support the LOSOM planning efforts and is separate from a previous request to be a cooperating agency under National Environmental Policy Act.

The first interagency PDT meeting will be held on August 20, 2019, from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., at the John Boy Auditorium located at 1200 W C Owen Avenue, Clewiston, FL 33440. We will do our best to accommodate those that can't attend in person. The public are being invited to attend the PDT meetings and provide comments at designated times, but they cannot otherwise participate in LOSOM PDT meetings. We will host workshops and meeting during the LOSOM process where the public will have the opportunity to provide their input to the development of the new LOSOM. Representation by your agencies on the PDT also provides the public another avenue to provide specific input to the process.

We look forward to continuing progress towards the implementation of the new LOSOM and having your agencies working with us on this important effort for the state of Florida and the nation.

1. Timothy Gysan, P.E., PMP

Senior Project Manager

Ecosystem Projects Section, Ecosystem Branch Programs & Project Management Division (PPMD) USACE Jacksonville District

(904) 232-3272 (Office)

(904) 735-8916 (Cell)

[email protected]

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED