To lock or not to lock, discussions surrounding the removal of the Chiquita lock continue

It’s been a discussion for decades, a legal battle since 2016. Should the Chiquita Lock in Cape Coral stay or should it be removed? It’s a decision a judge handed down Monday saying the lock can be removed, but the discussions surrounding its removal continues.

The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation has been one group that has fought in and out of the courts for the lock to stay as they have concerns over the impacts to the Caloosahatchee if it’s removed.

“It’s unfortunate that the judge found this way. We were initially one of the petitioners on this case, we had to be removed for timing issues, but water quality is something we feel strongly about here and based on my conversations with the experts and some of the data that I’ve seen, it seems like there is a really real risk of increasing our nutrient pollution to the Caloosahatchee estuary. If this lock is removed,” said Matt DePaolis, the Environmental Policy Director for the SCCF.

Although the SCCF has held its stance that the removal of the lock is not what’s best for the environment, others like Cape Coral City councilman Tom Hayden called the judge’s decision a win.

“I think it’s a huge win for the City of Cape Coral, it’s almost a milestone victory for the environment and marine life for the city. It’s one we’ve been hoping for…. for a really long time. So, for the judge, to see that the petitioner really didn’t make a case and saw that we had such a strong case for why the locks should be removed. I think it says a lot about our preparation,” Hayden said.

Although this was handed down Monday, Hayden said there are still several questions that need to be answered, like when we can expect to see the lock removed, how much it will cost, and if this is now a done deal.

“I think there’s still a lot of steps that still have to take place. Now that they’ve been given the go-ahead to issue the permit. You know, we don’t know what that timeline is going to be. There’s other legal action, I guess, the petitioners could take to the court system, but you know, in this particular case, it puts us in a much, much stronger position than we were before the judge issued this ruling,” Hayden said.

The SCCF said they will support the petitioners if they decide to appeal the judge’s decision. Hayden said they are hopeful they will get issued the permit within 30 days.

The city of Cape Coral sent WINK News a statement saying:

At this point, we don’t know the timeline for removal or the cost. We also cannot speak to hypothetical roadblocks or opposition.
Yesterday, a judge issued an order authorizing the Department of Environmental Protection to issue a permit for removing the Chiquita Boat Lock. The City is exploring all potential options for the expeditious removal of the lock.
The City remains committed to ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to address any adverse environmental concerns or impacts while also meeting the needs of the community.