Restoration of Osborne Tire Reef

Pursuant to Chapter 2023-126, section 1. (2), the Department of Environmental Protection shall submit a report by December 1, 2023 to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the status of the Osborne Reef cleanup and tire removal project. The Osborne Tire Reef, a site located off the coast of Broward County, consists of over 1 million used tires bound for disposal that were placed between two coral reefs tracts in the 1970s for fishery enhancement purposes. Since the early 2000s, the state and its partners have embarked on a restoration effort to remove tires and more recently, relocate coral from the tires in order to protect and restore the reef tract. In response to the large number of tires remaining and their continued impacts to the natural reef habitat, the 2023 Legislature enacted the Restoration of Osborne Reef Act, (Chapter No. 2023-126 [HB641 / SB546]). This Act requires the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to submit a Status Report on the tire removal efforts (due Dec. 1, 2023) and develop a Restoration Plan for the impacted reef (due July 1, 2024).