The following information was sent out by the Florida Springs Council regarding the public comment period. We encourage you to send in comments to the DEP with suggestions on the Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs).
Our experience is that the DEP uses the MFLs as a license to lower our springs and rivers even more than in the past. Even when they have experienced significant damage, the DEP finds excuses to draw out more and more water. Continuing this policy guarantees that our springs and rivers will never be restored to historic flows.
Following the FSC information, we have included the letter we sent to the DEP.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
Last week we hosted a webinar to discuss DEP’s proposed rules regarding flow protections for the Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers and how you can make a difference. FSC executive director Ryan Smart explained the draft rule and shared our concerns and recommendations. You can watch the full discussion on our YouTube and Facebook.
DEP extended the deadline for written comments on the draft recovery strategy for the Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers until September 30. You can submit comments to OWP_rulemaking@floridadep.gov.
During the webinar, Ryan shared, “We’re never going to accomplish our goals unless we allocate less water and unless we begin to cut back on permits, we begin to deny permits, and we begin to follow the law. Again, Florida has good laws, we just have to follow them.” We encourage you to submit your own comments to hold DEP accountable to follow the law and protect our springs.
You can find our analysis of the draft recovery strategy as well as a link to the webinar recording and presentation slides at this link: https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/single-post/talking-points-draft-santa-fe-ichetucknee-rivers-recovery-strategy
Even if you aren’t local to the Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers, we encourage you to stay tuned in to this process – The Santa Fe & Ichetucknee MFL Regulatory Strategy will be the blueprint for other springs and rivers across the State.
Click here to watch the recording on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/VUcw4g1aApgH7oRi/
Click here to watch the recording on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFtwNZtaRoM
We appreciate everyone who has submitted comments on the draft recovery strategy so far and tuned in to our live discussion. Stay tuned for details about our September livestream!
Thank you for watching and taking action,
Chloe Dougherty
FSC Communications Director
To the DEP for Public Comments
I have been a Florida taxpayer since 1963 and a user of the Santa Fe River since 1977. I began SCUBA diving and boating on the river in 1977 and continue to this day. I owned property of ten acres and lived on the river from 2003 to 2018.
I am concerned that the State of Florida is deliberately not protecting this river. The facts show this and it cannot be debated. Its flows are in a continual decline even as the state agrees that it has suffered significant damage. Yet, the Suwannee River Water Management District continues to issue pumping permits which preclude its restoration to historic levels. The state has not protected this river enough so that it even has maintained its status quo, let alone allow it to regain a semblance of its historic flows.
The Minimum Flows and Levels which are supposed to protect this river have failed. The state scientists working on them have not done so in good faith. Contrary to the law, they have delayed action, and also contrary to the law, they don’t always use the best available science. Even when they have done something they have been intellectually dishonest by intentionally choosing to leave out data which do not give them the result they want. This is cheating and there can be no excuse for this.
Independent competent scientists such as Drs. Robert Knight and Sam Upchurch have stated that the MFLs are inadequate and will not protect the river.
It is very frustrating that Florida, which possesses a unique treasure of springs and rivers, has made the decision to allow this treasure to be destroyed by over-pumping and excess fertilizer use.
Jim C. Tatum Ph.D.
