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Army Corps of Engineers' and the City of Sarasota's plans to dredge Big Pass to renour- ish a critically eroded section of Lido Key. Released on April 11, the video urges view- ers to recognize the need to preserve Big Pass and to donate funds in support of that cause. A news release about the video's launch ref- erences the risk to Siesta Key's public beach and the island's businesses and residences if the Corps is allowed to remove more than 1 million cubic yards of sand from the inlet in an initial renourishment — and millions more cubic yards of sand in later years — to build up the endangered section of Lido Key. The project has been planned for a 50-year span with renourishments to take place every five years, alternating between Big Pass and New Pass, the Army Corps' project engineer, Milan A. Mora, told groups in multiple public meet- ings last year. The Army Corps has been working on models and analysis about the effects the dredging of Big Pass would have on Siesta Key. The most recent information from the federal agency has confirmed the release of those materials by the end of this month. Mora has pointed out that the project is not funded. The Army Corps is committed to covering about 62.4 percent of the approxi- mately $22 million cost, with the rest covered by a state grant and Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenue set aside for beach renourishments, City Engineer Alexandrea DavisShaw has explained. Rich Schineller, on the paddleboards with the organ, gets a tow from Mike Hagan (in yellow jacket) as Sarah Fulton and John Lichtenstein assist. File photo Sarasota News Leader April 18, 2014 Page 42