MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) – Opposition to a new port for megasized cruise ships in Manatee County is growing, with two groups circulating online petitions.
The latest petition is the work of the environmental watchdog Suncoast Waterkeeper, which says the plan for the port, near Terra Ceia Bay and Rattlesnake Key, would be an ecological threat.
“The proposed port would threaten the health of our shared watersheds, including Tampa Bay, Terra Ceia Bay, Sarasota Bay, and beyond,” Suncoast Waterkeeper says on its website. “SSA Marine’s claims about economic benefits and ecological preservation obscure the real, serious harm this terminal would inflict on our waterways, our health, our businesses, and our way of life.”…