SRWMD did post responses to comments from WWALS and others on the North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan (NFRWSP). A week before the planned NFRWSP adoption, same as for the agenda for the joint SRWMD-SJRWMD meeting next Tuesday in Alachua. After OSFR and WWALS posted critical blog posts, SRWMD Executive Director Noah Valenstein sent us and others an offer to meet this Friday in Live Oak to discuss. While many (including me), thanked him for his collegial offer, nobody took him up on it. See you in Alachua Tuesday (facebook event).

Below are Noah Valenstein’s letter and my response.

Noah Valenstein’s letter:

Date: Tue, Jan 10, 2017 at 5:25 PM
From: Valenstein, Noah <Noah.Valenstein@srwmd.org>

Dear Colleagues,

In preparation for next week’s joint board meeting I wanted to offer each of your organizations a chance to further discuss your concerns and review staff responses to your comments. While responses to public comments can be found in Appendix A listed at http://northfloridawater.com/watersupplyplan/draft.html, I thought a discussion with SRWMD staff might be more meaningful for you and offer the chance for elaboration on both the comments and the responses. If you are interested, I have asked my staff to block time off this Friday starting at 2 pm.

Again, thank you for your interest in both the plan and our natural resources. Please just let me know my email if you are interested.

Thanks,

Noah

Noah Valenstein

Executive Director
Suwannee River Water Management District
9225 CR 49, Live Oak, FL 32060
386.362.1001 (Office)

386.688.6653 (Cell)
800.226.1066 (FL Toll Free)
www.mysuwanneeriver.com
Let us know how we’re doing: Contact Us

He copied a list of people who had commented on the NFRWSP. Many of them answered; none of them confirmed for Friday. One asked for clarification on where exactly in Alachua would the SRWMD-SJRWMD board meeting be.

John S. Quarterman response:

From: Wwals Watershed Coalition <wwalswatershed@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 1:02 PM
Subject: Re: Joint Regional Water Supply Plan Comments
To: “Valenstein, Noah” <Noah.Valenstein@srwmd.org>
Cc: [same list he copied]

Noah,

Thank you for your collegial message, and for also posting yesterday on your facebook page that responses to NFRWSP comments had been posted.

https://www.facebook.com/SRWMD/posts/1257266237668512

However, yesterday was the first we heard that there were responses, and Friday, or for that matter next Tuesday, is very short notice. I have asked the scientists who contributed to the WWALS comments to read the responses and document changes, but it is not clear they can all get to them by those dates. Also, Friday is already booked pretty solid, so I am not sure I can get to Live Oak on that day.

Since I suspect some of the other commenters have similar time issues, I’d like to suggest the SRWMD board listen to as many re-comments as are ready at the Tuesday board meeting, and table the NFRWSP plan for at least a month so everyone will have time for more considered communications.

For the rivers and the aquifer,
 -jsq
John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.,
is the WATERKEEPER® Alliance Member for the Suwannee River
and its tributaries the Withlacoochee, Little, Willacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers.
WWALS is a member of Georgia River Network, Georgia Water Coalition,
Florida Springs Council, Floridians Against Fracking,
and national River Network.
229-242-0102, 850-290-2350
wwalswatershed@gmail.com
www.suwanneeriverkeeper.org, www.wwals.net
PO Box 88, Hahira, GA 31632

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

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