A must read
Our unique springs heartland is world famous, with visitors and cave divers coming from around the globe. If you ever visit the Santa Fe River for recreation such as swimming, fishing, bird watching or kayaking, you need to know the river is seriously threatened. If you have a business used by tourists such as a dive shop, campground, motel, restaurant, service station, kayak rental, gift shop or movie theater, you should be concerned.
A mining company, HPS II Enterprises, is acquiring permits to mine thousands of acres in Bradford and Union counties, along the New River and the Santa Fe. If this happens, the land will be changed forever and surface water flows will be disrupted with negative impacts to wildlife.
Although law requires the land to be reclaimed, the process takes years and the land is never as good or as productive as before. Property values will go down, desirable compatible growth in the area will stop, and studies have shown that health issues can be associated with phosphate mining.
The phosphate industry in Florida has a long history of accidents, environmental destruction and bankruptcy, leaving behind millions in liabilities that the taxpayers have had to clean up. This inexperienced company has already had several violations and incidents, including one where they did not even know where their property was. These violations indicate that this company does not follow the rules.
Chris Bird, head of the Environmental Protection Department in Alachua County, describes the mine as the most serious threat to the river he has seen in his many years on the job.
What not to do:#Do not expect the Suwannee River Water Management District nor the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to protect us. Both these agencies see as their duty by law to issue permits to industry if they fill out the applications correctly. Recently the DEP significantly increased the amount of poisons allowed in our drinking water, to facilitate industry over the health of the citizens. These agencies will give the permits.
Don?t count on the current permit application moratorium in Union County. This can change instantly.
Don?t give up and consider it a done deal. Don?t expect other people to stop it.
If you do nothing, the mine will come and we may lose our river.
What you can do:#The most effective thing you can do is appear before the county commissions in Lake Butler and Starke, and tell them you think the mine is a risk and ask them to stop it. They have the power to prevent the mine. Anyone can go and do this, but it is especially effective if you reside in those counties.
Go to the meetings, stand up and speak just for a minute, and it is written into the record. Go to every meeting and tell them again and again. If you can?t attend, write the boards at the addresses below.
The Bradford County Commission meets on the first Monday (at 9:30 a.m.) and third Thursday (at 6:30 pm) of each month at the County Courthouse, 945 North Temple Ave. in Starke.
The Union County Commission meets on the third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 15 NE 1st St. in Lake Butler.
If you want to preserve our treasures, the Santa Fe River and its tributary the New River, please take action immediately. Tell your friends. Time is running out.
A river is like a life: Once taken, it cannot be brought back.
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