South Florida beachgoers have long contended with sargassum washing ashore, and Miami-Dade County may soon have more tools to tackle the problem. A memorandum filed before the Miami-Dade Board of Commissioners proposes asking the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for greater flexibility in choosing which beaches can be cleared of the seaweed without triggering a new round of state review.
Under the current setup, the county holds permits to clean sargassum at just six designated areas. The memo argues that if the county could designate additional hotspots on the fly — without waiting for FDEP sign-off each time — cleanup crews could respond faster and more efficiently when large deposits arrive.
Visitors at affected beaches say the situation has gotten noticeably worse. One beachgoer described the seaweed as "heavier than it's ever been before," while a tourist from New York noted that even on a clear day, the smell can linger well after the visible sargassum has been removed.
The proposal was set to be taken up at a public meeting of the County Board of Commissioners, which was scheduled to be livestreamed beginning at 9:30 a.m. Members of the public were welcome to attend in person.
This story was reported by CBS News Miami.
