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 severe damage to the island’s mangrove wetlands and coastal environment.