In 1976, USACE made a landmark decision to block development that threatened Marco Island's mangrove wetlands. 6 years later, Deltona handed Florida 15,000 acres of habitat and received 160 acres of industrial land in return

In 1976, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) refused to approve a major dredge-and-fill project proposed by the Deltona Corporation on Marco Island, Florida. The decision followed an Environmental Impact Statement that warned the development could cause …