Santa Fe & Suwanee Rivers protection

[Jim Wyatt]

Below is an article from the High Springs Herald. The article can be seen online at: http://tinyurl.com/48vapr

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Santa Fe, Suwannee rivers may not be included in state protection program





By Rachael Anne Ryals
Herald Staff Writer

Local environmental groups are urging residents to e-mail the Department of Environmental Protection before this Sunday, Sept. 28 in support of a rule that will limit the total amount of contaminants allowed in the Santa Fe and Suwannee rivers.

Organizers of a local environmental group said that the two rivers are in danger of being left out of the program if the DEP doesn’t receive positve input from the public.

The deadline to contact the DEP to voice support of the Santa Fe and the Suwannee rivers being included in the “Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)” program is Sunday, Sept. 28. (The e-mail addresses are at the end of this story.)

The Santa Fe and the Suwannee rivers are in jeopardy of not being included in this new state program that aims to restore the state's waterways by limiting the amount of contaminants that can enter a waterway, said Annette Long, president of Save Our Suwannee.

Sections of the two rivers were proposed to be included in the program due to unacceptable levels of mercury in fish, too much fecal contamination, too much bacteria and not enough dissolved oxygen.

Possible sources of the contamination that scientists have listed include concrete plants and cattle and agriculture runoff.


Long is asking residents to e-mail the state in support of the area rivers being better protected.

She said Save Our Suwannee is sending a comment that they support the proposed TMDLs.

Many residents attended a series of workshops to explain the new program, but Long said that now people must e-mail to officially comment on the final language in the TMDL.

Long said that residents e-mailing the state should state that they support the language of the TMDL that was published in the Florida Administrative Weekly on Aug. 22, 2008 Vol 34/34 for the Lower Suwannee River Basin, the Santa Fe Basin, as well as those published in the Florida Administrative Weekly on Sept. 5, 2008 Vol 34/36 for the Alligator Lake TMDL.

Long said that the new program is not perfect but including the area's rivers will ensure a higher level of protection then currently exists.



“The Suwannee has already been affected,” Long said. “It's obvious to the DEP and to those of us that watch the river that something needs to be done. And the time to start is now.”

E-mails about the TMDL program should be sent to:

Jan.Mandrup-Poulsen@dep.state.fl.us and also to:

wayne.magley@dep.state.fl.us

For more information about the TMDL program, visit:

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/tmd...mdl.htm#Group1

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[Tegg]

The REAL issue here, Why does the DEP need "the public to speak up" in order to do their job?

I emailed them.

I also let them know my opinion on "requiring" anyone to email them to protect any river in Florida....

[tomhauburn]

Below is an article from the High Springs Herald. The article can be seen online at: http://tinyurl.com/48vapr

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Santa Fe, Suwannee rivers may not be included in state protection program

I sent my two e-mails out.

Tom

[WEPIV]

I just sent both e-mails

[JE]

If our military vessels & civilian cruise ships can 'DUMP' their garbage, chemicals & fecal matter into our oceans, why shouldn't our state & federal environmental offices be allowed to ignor similar outragious acts from land owners, concrete plants & agriculture agencys dumping their crap into our springs & rivers-? One of the main reasons I am not diving today are these very issues-!
On the other hand I have witnessed the powers-to-be within our caving community to stop such a vehomoth as a 'Super Walmart' center in Alachua, maybe we can do something about our pristene rivers & springs being trashed-!
Go Teams-! I'm behind you-! My e-mails will be composed & sent-!

je

[RN]

E-mail sent to both parties.

[CrawDaddy]

Just sent my two emails out.

-Fran

[JE]

E-mails sent -! JE

[cinder4320]

I recently became aware of the website
http://www.oursantaferiver.org/
Its a great resource for conservation of the Santa Fe.

They put out a newsletter and in their latest version was information on a bottler near Ginnie! PM if you'd like me to forward you a copy of the email newsletter I received.

Miranda