Midnight Pass, Reopened By Hurricanes, Should Be Restored: Rep. Steube

SARASOTA, FL — U.S. Rep. Greg Steube is calling on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to permanently reopen Midnight Pass, which was naturally reopened by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Midnight Pass, an inlet between Siesta Key and Casey Key, was closed by the USACE in 1984.

The inlet dates back to the 1840s. Charts from that time show “Buccaneers Pass” separating the keys, according to Restore Midnight Pass, a nonprofit organization working to restore the inlet. It was later renamed Midnight Pass.

In the 40 years since its closure, “the ecosystem in Little Sarasota Bay has suffered as a result,” Steube said in a news release. “Water quality has deteriorated, and nearly 70 (percent) of the seagrass beds have disappeared.”

It also negatively affected the local fishing industry, and reduced recreational and commercial boating activities.

He stressed both the environmental as well as the economic concerns caused by the closure of the pass in a letter to Lieutenant General William H. Graham, Jr., of the USACE.

"Although Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused tremendous damage in my district and across the state of Florida, the storms naturally reopened Midnight Pass between Little Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, which provided an opportunity for my constituents to experience some of the benefits of a reopened pass," Steube wrote in the letter. "I am hopeful that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will complete a permanent restoration of Midnight Pass."

Environmental benefits of reopening the pass include cleaner water flowing into Little Sarasota Bay, improved water circulation, reduced pollution, and the return of marine life, including oysters and shrimp, the representative said in the news release.

Steube also expressed hope that the USACE might consider reopening Little Gasparilla Pass and Stump Pass in Charlotte County, which were also both closed.