Ocala Star Banner Editorial Editorial: Not serious yet about our springs Published: Monday, September 22, 2014 at 6:30 a.m. A spate of recent news reports shows that the state still isnt really serious about protecting our springs and other water resources, despite actions and words to the contrary. Recently, state lawmakers allocated $25 million in funding for springs restoration. The money is to be matched by $44 million from local governments and water management districts. Springs advocates shouldnt necessarily celebrate. As Florida Springs Institute Director Robert Knight pointed out in a column last month for the Star-Banner, the projects were chosen behind closed doors without citizen involvement. Much of the money is being spent on subsidies to farms, housing developments and other private interests — the same kind of entities responsible for draining and polluting our groundwater in the first place. The projects include $3.6 million to reduce groundwater withdrawals at a Hamilton County phosphate mine and $12 million to be used in part to allow three Citrus County golf courses to use reclaimed water. The state continues to subsidize private entities without requiring them to change the behaviors that degraded — and continue to degrade — our springs. While these projects provide benefits, groups getting taxpayer money also should be required to take steps such as dramatically reducing nutrient pollution. Another news item that appeared good on its face was an administrative law judges ruling last week on the states proposed environmental protections for the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee rivers in Alachua and Columbia counties. The judge ruled that the protections, known as minimum flows and levels, or MFLs, are invalid. Despite the states acknowledgment that the water bodies and springs have already suffered significant environmental harm, the MFLs were watered down to allow utilities and other big users to get massive, 20-year water withdrawal permits. The permits will supposedly be re-evaluated once a water study is done within five years. The judge ruled on narrow, technical grounds in finding that required supporting information for the regulations was too vague. While the advocates who filed the challenge celebrated the decision, regulators have suggested they will make only limited changes to the rules. Meanwhile, closer to home, scientists for the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation held a public hearing last week on the implementation of its long-awaited Silver Springs Basin Management Improvement Plan, of BMAP. The plan is supposed to be a blueprint for cleaning up the springs by reducing nitrate loads that cause the pollution and destruction of the springs. Springs supporters who showed up to listen were unsettled when they were told DEP officials are not certain the plan will even work. These recent events and ensuing new reports suggest that protecting our springs is now a major part of the states public-policy debate. But until the state gets serious about reversing the springs decline, the new projects and regulations will only maintain the status quo of degraded water resources. ocala/article/20140922/OPINION01/140919595
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 13:29:02 +0000
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