Daily Archives: May 28, 2025

Additional Project Drawings for Chemours application to mine on SRWMD land –USACE 2025-01-02

I got these additional figures indicate that Chemours wants to mine right up to Double Run Creek, upstream from the Santa Fe River.

I got them by following up on the Chemours application to the Army Corps for a permit to mine TiO2 on SRWMD land,

[Additional Project Drawings, Chemours application to USACE to mine on SRWMD land --SWCA 2025-01-02]
Additional Project Drawings, Chemours application to USACE to mine on SRWMD land –SWCA 2025-01-02

Chemours can’t continue mining without this permit, which it must get from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), because of the successful lawsuit by Miami Waterkeeper, St. Johns Riverkeeper, et al., to revoke the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) takeover of federal Clean Water Act permit applications.

See the third page of the USACE application form:

This project was originally review[sic] and approved by the USACE in 2020 pending the issuance of the State Water Quality Certification. Prior to USACE receiving the State Water Quality Certification, the EPA approved Florida’s State 404 Program, which became effective on Dec. 22, 2020, and all USACE pending permits were transferred to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for processing.

This project was subsequently reviewed, and Phase 1 was approved on June 6, 2022, under the FDEP State 404 Program, Permit no. ST404_137482-022. A portion of the Phase 1 approved impacts have been completed. The approval of Phase 2 is needed for Chemours to continue mining operations without any disruptions. Due to the FDEP being divested of its authority to issue State 404 Program permits on Feb 15, 2024, Chemours has requested the USACE review and approve the entire project for compliance consistency.

For that lawsuit, see Continue reading

Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, a WWALS Webinar by Emily Bell 2025-06-26

We’ll hear all about wildflower species in north Florida, and maybe even how to prepare habitat for them, from the Communications Coordinator of the Florida Wildflower Foundation, Emily Bell.

When: noon-1 PM, Thursday, June 26, 2025

Where: Register here to attend online by zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/DRwhEcDjQWqK4Qr9Srnegg
WWALS Board Member Janet Martin will give a brief introduction.
Questions and answers will be at the end.

[Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida 2025-06-26, a WWALS Webinar, by Emily Bell]
Wildflowers of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida 2025-06-26, a WWALS Webinar, by Emily Bell

Emily was born and raised in the wilds of Florida. From spring hopping on the Suwannee River to chasing swells up and down the East Coast, her formative years were spent outside in play, exploration and reflection, instilling in her a deep passion for the environment and a sense of responsibility to safeguard it for future generations. She joined the Florida Wildflower Foundation in 2022 as its communications coordinator. Prior to that, she spent four years coordinating invasive species programs within UF IFAS Extension and for the Florida Invasive Species Partnership. Emily has over a decade of experience with environmental outreach, planning and network building.

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