Update 2023-09-29: After Hurricane Idalia: Langdale Park open for walk-ins, Withlacoochee River, Lowndes County, GA 2023-09-28.
Many people have asked, “Have you seen the land clearing near the entrance to Langdale Park? Wonder what that is about?”
![[Langdale Park entrance and maps]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-05--n-vld-rd-partners/many.jpg)
Langdale Park entrance and maps
Yesterday I actually missed my turn into Langdale Park because I didn’t recognize it, with all the trees cut down. Continue reading
The HPS II proponents don’t want to pay for consultant work on future effects of their phosphate mine. Why should the county (the taxpayers) be stuck with all or part of $53,265.00 to consultants about a for-profit mine that would adversely affect the waters on which the whole county depends, not to mention downstream on the New, Santa Fe, and Suwannee Rivers and perhaps beyond in the Floridan Aquifer? Mine proponents also complained that one subconsultant had “articulated a position of opposition to the HPS application”. If the consultants were uniformly in favor of the mine, what would be the point of hiring them at all?
A map as clear as mining mud. Legend:
Union Project Boundary (5,421.91 Acres);
Bradford Project Boundary (5,262.92 Acres)
I sent Chairman Ross Chandler the the Resolution Against Phosphate Mines in Florida by several Waterkeepers across Florida.
In the agenda sheet for agenda item 4.B. Direction to staff regarding scope-of-work/subconsultants for Onsite Environmental Consultants (OEC) — Review of application for Special Permit for Mining (Section 14.6, LDR): Continue reading
See also: Nutrien (PCS) mining phosphate and water in Hamilton County and soon in Columbia County? 2018-07-11.
Hamilton County citizen and WWALS member Chris Mericle sent this Friday, with permission to post.
Hey John,
I just wanted to relate to you the status of the 5 year mining permit renewal for Nutrien (formerly PCS).
I was in a long teleconference yesterday afternoon where we were trying to negotiate for several modifications to the mining permit.
Figure 4. Location of existing and proposed Phosphogypsum Stack Systems (PGSS), in
FINAL REPORT: Review of PCS Phosphate — White Springs;
Activities and Operations Related to
Five-Year Renewal of Special Permit 03-1.
Review Period: January 2013 through December 2017
Prepared tor:
Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners.
February 23, 2018.
Prepared by:
Lampl-Herbert
In attendance: Continue reading
See also: Nutrien (PCS Phosphate mine) 5-year permit renewal 2018-03-16.
Update 2018-01-25: Fixed Attorney Scott Shirley’s attribution.
Hamilton County did due diligence by hiring a consultant to review the PCS phosphate mine’s record and permit applications. The Mericles and me were the only non-county non-PCS people who spoke, but the Planning and Zoning Board interacted quite a bit last night at the public hearings. Both the motions they passed recommended approval of the permits, but the second motion included taking into account the points raised by the public, such as better public access to permit materials and review of the mining company’s water quality data.
Photo: John S. Quarterman for WWALS,
Left to right:
Deanna Mericle,
Consultant Gregory M. Hitz,
County Attorney Cliff Adams,
Planning and Zoning Board:
A.L. Milner(?),
Eddie Wynn,
Megan Carter,
Jim Tompkins,
Harrell Tyree,
Riley L. Anderson,
for PCS: Attorney Scott Shirley, Danny Johnson.
County Attorney Cliff Adams took notes throughout, and there was a sound recording.
The public consisted of Continue reading
See also: Pictures: PCS Phosphate mine permit Public Hearings, Jasper, FL 2018-01-23.
While residents of Union and Bradford Counties, Florida try to fight off the proposed HPS II phosphate mine on the New and Santa Fe Rivers, Hamilton County faces renewal and modification of permits for the PCS Phosphate mine, near White Springs and the Suwannee River.
When: 6PM, Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Where:
County Commission Meeting Room, County Courthouse,
207 Northeast First Street, Jasper, Florida
What: North Florida Public Notices, search for PCS Phosphate finds notices for two public hearings the same evening:
Photo: John S. Quarterman for WWALS on
Southwings flight 2016-10-22.
1. 1/11/2018
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR MODIFICATION TO MASTER MINING PLAN AND SPECIAL PERMIT BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD OF HAMILTON COUNTY, FLORIDA, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, Continue reading
Union County, Florida apparently takes its duties to the public seriously, with a series of meetings through the next year about mining (including phosphate mining) in its Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations (LDR). People in Union County and everywhere who don’t want another phosphate mine leaching into groundwater, rivers, and springs and driving away other jobs, please show up at the meetings or write to the Union Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). For example, start by advocating the Commissioners extend their moratorium against phosphate mining.
Jim Tatum of Our Santa Fe River (OSFR) has turned that schedule into an image, and I’ve included it below as text, with a link to Union County’s own PDF.
Gretchen sent this letter to the Valdosta City Council last Thursday, and is going to read it to them tonight at their Regular Session (PDF. -jsq
Dear Valdosta City Council Members,
WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. would like to draw your attention to some issues related to rezoning VA-2014-07 Brooks Turner LLC at the corner of Baytree and Azalea Drive. As you are aware, flooding in Sugar Creek has been a problem for many years. The proposed development of lots between Baytree and Pinetree will result in the removal of approximately seventy (70) mature pine trees, increase paving percentage (the lots are mostly grass with clearly less than 50% covered by rooftops and hard paved surfaces), and most dramatically replace Continue reading