Tell the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to follow the law! FDEP is accepting public comment until Sept. 18.
The law (373.219(3), F.S.), signed by Governor Rick Scott in 2016, says that FDEP must “adopt uniform rules for issuing permits which prevent groundwater withdrawals that are harmful” to Outstanding Florida Springs.
If the Florida Department of Environmental Protection had actually done what the law required years ago, it would have stopped many consumptive use permits that harm our springs, including the Seven Springs bottling permit (“Nestle” permit) at Ginnie Springs.
But for seven years, FDEP has flagrantly disregarded the law and refused to propose statutorily required rules to protect Outstanding Florida Springs.
In 2022, after more than six years of delay, FDEP finally proposed a draft rule. However, it was essentially the same as the rules already adopted for all water bodies in 2014. FDEP withdrew the proposed rule after opposition from FSC, Sierra Club FL and Senator David Simmons, the co-sponsor and author of the 2016 law.
Now, FDEP is back with another proposed rule. The difference between the 2022 draft proposed rule and this year’s draft rule is one additional section, called “Additional Protections Consistent with Local or Regional Conditions" including "restricted allocation areas." Ironically, the section doesn’t actually add additional protections nor does it require restricting allocations.
The Florida Springs Council worked with attorneys, scientists, and policy experts to draft a water use permitting harm rule that will actually protect Outstanding Florida Springs. It prioritizes the protection of Outstanding Florida Springs, relies on existing regulatory programs, and recognizes the relationship between water quantity and water quality.
FDEP is accepting public comment on its proposed draft rule until Sept. 18. Use our system to tell FDEP to adopt the Florida Springs Council’s more protective rule.
Tell the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to follow the law! FDEP is accepting public comment until Sept. 18.
The law (373.219(3), F.S.), signed by Governor Rick Scott in 2016, says that FDEP must “adopt uniform rules for issuing permits which prevent groundwater withdrawals that are harmful” to Outstanding Florida Springs.
If the Florida Department of Environmental Protection had actually done what the law required years ago, it would have stopped many consumptive use permits that harm our springs, including the Seven Springs bottling permit (“Nestle” permit) at Ginnie Springs.
But for seven years, FDEP has flagrantly disregarded the law and refused to propose statutorily required rules to protect Outstanding Florida Springs.
In 2022, after more than six years of delay, FDEP finally proposed a draft rule. However, it was essentially the same as the rules already adopted for all water bodies in 2014. FDEP withdrew the proposed rule after opposition from FSC, Sierra Club FL and Senator David Simmons, the co-sponsor and author of the 2016 law.
Now, FDEP is back with another proposed rule. The difference between the 2022 draft proposed rule and this year’s draft rule is one additional section, called “Additional Protections Consistent with Local or Regional Conditions" including "restricted allocation areas." Ironically, the section doesn’t actually add additional protections nor does it require restricting allocations.
The Florida Springs Council worked with attorneys, scientists, and policy experts to draft a water use permitting harm rule that will actually protect Outstanding Florida Springs. It prioritizes the protection of Outstanding Florida Springs, relies on existing regulatory programs, and recognizes the relationship between water quantity and water quality.
FDEP is accepting public comment on its proposed draft rule until Sept. 18. Use our system to tell FDEP to adopt the Florida Springs Council’s more protective rule.