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Restoration Project Progress Report
In 2023 TOOFAR was awarded a grant in the amount of $4.25 million from the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to restore a portion of Point Lonesome Lake. Point Lonesome is a part of the Tsala Apopka chain of lakes located in the Hernando pool. Citrus County is a “Co-applicant” with TOOFAR for the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes Restoration Project.
The FDEP Contract has recently been revised to extend the timeline for the project until December 2029 and also to provide budgetary flexibility within the grant to allow for the hiring of a professional environmental consultant. The TOOFAR Board of Directors has approved a decision to engage Jones Edmunds and Associates (JEA) as the environmental consultant for the project, and JEA is in coordination with FDEP regarding next steps in the permitting process.
The following is a list of persons & their related companies who are involved in the Point Lonesome Restoration project:
FDEP Grant Administration:
Gulf Atlantic Industrial Equipment, Homosassa, Florida
Lisa Moore, President
FDEP Grant Project Manager:
Automation Consulting & Education, Floral City, Florida
Bob “SCADAbob” Rutemiller, Vice President
Environmental Consultant
Jones Edmunds and Associates
BJ Bukata, MS, PWS
Senior Scientist / Vice President
Restoration Contractor:
Texas Aquatic Restoration, Inc.
Lake Wales, Florida
Texas Aquatic Harvesting
Alan Beville, Project Manager
Keep up to date on the lake restoration project by joining TOOFAR and getting detailed progress reports at our monthly meeting. Please support us in our goal to restore our lakes. They belong to us all. If you have any questions, please call Restoration Chairman and TOOFAR Vice President, Larry Hartman (352) 586-1071.
We invite you to attend one of our meetings held the 4th Thursday of the month (3rd Thursday in November and December) at our facility at 9228 East Gospel Island Road in Inverness.
We start the evening at 6:00 pm with an optional casual dinner which is available for a specified donation. The meeting starts at 6:30 pm. You will hear updates on the Restoration Project along with interesting speakers talking about our waterways, wildlife and their habitat.
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