Tag Archives: SWFWMD

SWFWMD approved ERP for Suncoast Parkway 2 Eastern Borrow Site 2026-05-22

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The Southwest Florida Water Management District has approved an Environmental Resource Permit modification for a borrow pit for use in constructing the Suncoast Parkway 2 toll road extension.

That move brings the toll road ever closer to extending up US 19 across the Suwannee River and other sensitive wetlands all the way to the GA-FL line towards Thomasville, Georgia.

[SWFWMD approved ERP, for Suncoast Parkway 2, Eastern Borrow Site, owned by FDEP 2026-05-22]
SWFWMD approved ERP, for Suncoast Parkway 2, Eastern Borrow Site, owned by FDEP 2026-05-22

This site is not in the Suwannee River Basin. It is in the watershed of Citrus County’s Crystal River. But building any part of that toll road accellerates the likelihood of the same road heading north into the Suwannee Basin.

Hurricane evacuation is the usual excuse for this toll road, but solar panels and batteries for houses and businesses would cost less and would mean many people would not have to evacuate and would not be without power for weeks as happens now after every hurricane.

You may recall that this is the same sand mine that Southworth sold to the state of Florida after Continue reading →

Authorize selected staff to sign permit applications and inspection reports for FDOT, FDEP, and SWFWMD –Citrus BOCC 2025-09-23

Maybe it’s a coincidence that this move by the Citrus BOCC comes a month after Southworth sold Citrus County sand mine site to state of Florida 2025-08-06.
https://wwals.net/?p=68529

The Citrus County Commissioners approved authorizing seven named staff members to sign permit applications and inspection reports on behalf of the county, with no mention of any further approval by the Commissioners. This authorization is for each of FDOT, FDEP, and SWFWMD, which are exactly the three Florida state agencies that are involved in permitting the huge borrow pit next to the Suncoast Parkway Phase 3A Extension in Citrus County.

I’ve never seen this before, and I go to many county commission meetings in Florida and Georgia, and I watch more counties online. It’s common for counties to put specific items on their agenda to authorize a specific staff member to sign a specific document, but I’ve never seen a blanket authorization like this, especially not for seven different staff for three different agencies.

Further, the listing in the Consent Agenda does not match the actual authorizations later in the board packet, and those authorizations seem to extend the authorization to the actual permits, not just applications.

[Authorize selected staff to sign permit applications, etc., for FDOT, FDEP, and SWFWMD --Citrus BOCC 2025-09-23]
Authorize selected staff to sign permit applications, etc., for FDOT, FDEP, and SWFWMD –Citrus BOCC 2025-09-23

Much background on this proposed sand mine is here:
https://stopthesandminecc.wixsite.com/stopthesandmine

See also the Stop the Sand Mine change.org petition:
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-sand-mine

This is upstream from Crystal River, south of the Withlacoochee (South) River that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Local opponents are rightly concerned about local issues.

WWALS is also concerned that this would be another step towards running the Suncoast Parkway north across the Suwannee River.

On its Consent Agenda for September 23, 2025, the Citrus Board of County Commissioners approved item C.12: Continue reading →

Southworth sold Citrus County sand mine site to state of Florida 2025-08-06

Update 2025-09-29: Authorize selected staff to sign permit applications and inspection reports for FDOT, FDEP, and SWFWMD –Citrus BOCC 2025-09-23.

The plot thickens for the proposed sand mine next to the Suncoast Parkway Phase 3A Extension in Citrus County.

The state filed eminent domain proceedings for 50 acres and the owner settled for $3.1 million plus $543,345 in attorney fees, plus $112,000 in experts costs.

[Southworth sold Citrus County sand mine site to state of Florida, 2025-08-06]
Southworth sold Citrus County sand mine site to state of Florida, 2025-08-06

Most everything you need to oppose this humongous borrow pit is here:
https://stopthesandminecc.wixsite.com/stopthesandmine

See also the Stop the Sand Mine change.org petition:
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-sand-mine

This is upstream from Crystal River, south of the Withlacoochee (South) River that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Local opponents are rightly concerned about local issues.

WWALS is also concerned that this would be another step towards running the Suncoast Parkway north across the Suwannee River.

The Citrus Insider, August 25, 2025, https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=122172452786538075&set=a.122162996816538075,

Southworth settled his eminent domain proceedings with the state. The state now owns the location of the proposed mine. I heard this was the case and why they asked to delay the hearing, but I did not want to put it out without proof (I have a pending records request)

That takes the county out of the process. The state can now move forward with the sand mine if they choose to do so. They would need to follow proper permitting procedures from SWFWMD and other entities.

But county now has no say in what happens to the property.

**update** The eminent domain settlement looks to be for 50 acres right next to the parkway. The mine application was over 250 acres. So there may be more coming.

Continue reading →

Borrow pits proposed within 5 miles of Suncoast Parkway Extension, upstream from Crystal River @ Citrus County Commission 2025-05-27

Update 2025-09-28: Southworth sold Citrus County sand mine site to state of Florida 2025-08-06.

We’ve helped stop the Suncoast Parkway from expanding north across the Suwannee River, all the way to Georgia. But if this Phase 3A Extension happens in Citrus County, northwards becomes likely again. So even if you don’t live there, you may want to help oppose FDEP’s request for the county to allow borrow pits within 5 miles of the parkway path for the duration of the project.

If you do live in Citrus County, such mining could affect your water or air quality, plus noise, traffic, and more development.

[Borrow pits proposed within 5 miles of Suncoast PKWY Ext., upstream from Crystal River @ Citrus BOCC 2025-05-27]
Borrow pits proposed within 5 miles of Suncoast PKWY Ext., upstream from Crystal River @ Citrus BOCC 2025-05-27

Most everything you need is here:
https://stopthesandminecc.wixsite.com/stopthesandmine

That site has email addresses for the County Commissioners and the Land Development Office, ideas on what to write, and how to get more involved.

See also the Stop the Sand Mine change.org petition:
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-sand-mine

Developers talk to your elected officials all the time. If you want something else, you need to talk to them, too.

Tomorrow at 1:20 PM, the Citrus County Commissioners will consider tossing out their land development code within 5 miles of the Suncoast Parkway Extension for the duration of its construction.

If the Commissioners seriously entertain abdicating their local zoning power because the state of Florida asked them to, presumably they will have to schedule a vote at some later meeting.

Depending on how that goes, there may be a Special Master Hearing on Friday, June 27, 2025 about a Southworth Mine.

If you don’t want disturbance of water flow to Crystal River, noise, dust, unknown particulates, and rampant development, you may want to show up tomorrow, or write or call your County Commissioner, or help organize the opposition.

Citrus BOCC Agenda

Continue reading →

Help fix the broken BMAPs to clean up Florida waters 2024-10-30

Update 2024-11-05: Pictures: Suwannee River Basin BMAP meeting in Live Oak 2024-10-30.

Update 2024-10-30: Pictures: Santa Fe River BMAP meeting, Lake Butler, FL 2024-10-28.

FDEP has announced rescheduled dates for some BMAP meetings after the hurricanes.
https://floridadep.gov/dear/water-quality-restoration/content/bmap-public-meetings

Please go and say why you think the Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) are broken. But don’t stop there, or they will just mark down x number of people came, so public outreach was successful.

Here are more things you can do at the meeting and afterwards.

Wear blue, so we can all be seen together, as recommended by Sarah Younger of the Suwannee-St. Johns Group of Sierra Club Florida.

Ask for metrics for improvement since the BMAPs started, such as how much less nitrate leaching from irrigated fertilizer into springs and rivers.

Turn their poster session format into a grassroots town hall. Video your question and their answer. Post your video on social media with a hashtag: #BMAPSantaFe, #BMAPSuwannee, or #BMAPSilverRainbow (see below).

If they say go look at some obscure website, ask them to tell you the metrics now.

If the FDEP person refuses to answer, video that, and post it.

For the Suwannee BMAP, ask them why SRWMD did not mention the Manatee Springs BMAP when it issued an Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) for a road inside the 2,109-acre rezoning area for a development in floodplain.

For the Rainbow BMAP, ask them why SWFWMD did not mention the Rainbow Springs Springshed when it issued an ERP for the sand mine.

Ask them what the BMAPs are doing to get farmers to convert from Monsanto-seed Glysophate-spraying over-fertilized water-sucking over-irrigated agriculture to methods more friendly to Florida’s waters.

Be polite. The specific FDEP employees there are probably just trying to do their job. The problem comes from higher up. See below for what to do about that after the meeting.

[Help fix Florida BMAPs to fix Florida polluted waters 2024-10-28-30]
Help fix Florida BMAPs to fix Florida polluted waters 2024-10-28-30

Three meetings are of particular interest. Continue reading →

Aerials of Hodge dirt mine, 10 miles from 3RT Sand Mine, Levy County, FL 2024-01-24

Yesterday we received some pictures of a dirt mine about ten miles east-southeast of the 3RT Sand Mine site. They show mined pits filled with water, as well as mounds of may be barn waste such as manure, or perhaps residue from a nearby saw mill.

[Dirt mine dumping, Levy County, FL 2024-01-24]
Dirt mine dumping, Levy County, FL 2024-01-24

We are not saying there is anything illegal going on at the dirt mine site.

We do wonder that if the activities shown are allowed on a mine site in Levy County, how do we know they won’t happen on the 3RT mine site? And what effect might they have on that much larger proposed mine site?

We are told by a usually reliable source that these aerials were taken January 24, 2024, by a source that wishes to be anonymous, but grants permission for public posting. Continue reading →

SWFWMD and 3RT Sand Mine, Levy County, Rainbow Springs springshed 2024-01-04

As Craig Pittman pointed out, SWFWMD issued a permit for the 3RT Sand Mine in Levy County. But that ERP says nothing about Rainbow Springs or FDEP’s Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) for the Rainbow Springs springshed. That ERP does not even mention that the mine site is in an aquifer recharge zone.

What is the use of BMAPs, or of Rainbow Springs being an Outstanding Florida Water, if FDEP’s own SWFWMD can issue a permit for a strip mine without mentioning either?

[SWFWMD ERP for 3RT Sand Mine does not mention Rainbow Springs springshed]
SWFWMD ERP for 3RT Sand Mine does not mention Rainbow Springs springshed

Maybe you’d like to ask about that at FDEP’s meeting about Outstanding Florida Springs Basin Management Plans 2024-01-23. Sure, such meetings are usually public tellings at which the state ignores what citizens say.

But you can use that meeting as a forum to demonstrate opposition to the mine, so you can bring that up at the February 6 Levy County Commission meeting.

Craig Pittman, Florida Phoenix, January 4, 2024, Florida observatory may be forced to shut down if county OKs sand mine:
Neighbors and astronomers join forces to ask Levy County to nix mining proposal
UF’s Rosemary Hill Observatory in Levy County would be next door to the proposed sand mine.

Pittman set up his story with an aside about Jake from State Farm and good neighbors, and then:

The idea of what constitutes a good neighbor came up last week when I first heard about a dispute that’s been going on in Levy County. It involves a wealthy farmer, a dirty mine, a lot of trucks, and the stars in the heavens.

Continue reading →

SWFWMD ERP 43046299.000 for 3RT Sand Mine, Levy County, FL 2023-04-19

Update 2024-01-16: SWFWMD and 3RT Sand Mine, Levy County, Rainbow Springs springshed 2024-01-04.

It makes no mention of the Rainbow Springs springshed or its Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).

[Collage, SWFWMD ERP 43046299.000 for 3RT Sand Mine, Levy County, FL 2023-04-19]
Collage, SWFWMD ERP 43046299.000 for 3RT Sand Mine, Levy County, FL 2023-04-19

That’s Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) No. 43046299.000 issued to Ryan Thomas for the 3RT Sand Mine on April 19, 2023, by FDEP’s Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD).

Maybe you’d like to mention that to the Levy County Commission before or at its February 6 Levy County Commission meeting.

Before then, maybe you’d like to ask about that ERP at FDEP’s meeting about Outstanding Florida Springs Basin Management Plans 2024-01-23. Sure, such meetings are usually public tellings at which the state ignores what citizens say. But you can use it to build your case for the Levy BOCC.

You can find that ERP in http://www18.swfwmd.state.fl.us/erp/erp/search/ERPSearch.aspx or on the WWALS website.

For more, see SWFWMD and 3RT Sand Mine, Levy County, Rainbow Springs springshed 2024-01-04.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Meeting: Outstanding Florida Springs Basin Management Plans 2024-01-23

Update 2024-01-16: SWFWMD ERP 43046299.000 for 3RT Sand Mine, Levy County, FL 2023-04-19.

Maybe you’d like to ask FDEP some questions about the springsheds of Rainbow Springs, Ichetucknee Springs, or Madison Blue Spring, among many others.

What does it mean for a spring to be declared an Outstanding Florida Water and a Basin Management Plan (BMAP) issued for it if that springshed is not protected from, for example, a sand mine?

[OFS Updates Agenda and Rainbow Springs Springshed]
OFS Updates Agenda and Rainbow Springs Springshed

Public Notice

Notice: 27937666

Notice of Meeting/Workshop Hearing

Department: DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announces a public meeting to which all persons are invited.

DATE AND TIME: January 23, 2024 10 AM EDT

PLACE: Webinar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/240858353506612832

Subject: This is an Outstanding Florida Springs Basin Management Action Plans (BMAP) update meeting to which the public is invited. The BMAPs are the means for implementation of the adopted Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). The primary purpose of this meeting is to provide information on the nitrogen source inventory loading tool (NSILT) updates, as well as an overview of the 2025 BMAP updates.

Continue reading →

Draft Conditions from the Planning Commission to the BoCC on SE 23-01 3RT Sand Mine, Levy County, FL 2023-07-20

Update 2023-08-14: Levy county sand mine petition 2023-08-11.

The Levy County Commission is meeting tomorrow morning, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 9 AM. It’s always good to show up and be seen, maybe say a few words, even if your item of interest is not on the agenda. Or contact your Commissioner via telephone or email.

There will be no decision about the 3RT Sand Mine tomorrow. The agenda includes:

16. PUBLIC HEARING: Requesting the Levy County Board of County Commissioners grant the request for continuation by applicant for PETITION NO SE 23-01: Ryan Thomas for 3RT Sand Mine. Requesting a Special Exception for a major mining operation pursuant to Sec. 50-719; Mining and excavation of minerals, or natural resources, and site reclamation of the Levy County Land Development Code to allow a sand mine (no blasting) on approximately 1,100 acres (includes mine property and access to CR 337) of land located in Section 35, Township 12 S, Range 17 E, Levy County Florida. These parcels are located in Agriculture/Rural Residential (A/RR) Land Use and Zoning district. Parcel Number(s) 0359701600, 0359700400, 0359700000, 0359700300, 0360400600, 0360400000, 036040040B, 036040040A, 0360400400, 0360400500, 0360600500, 0360600300, 0360600000, 0359400000, and 0359200000.The applicant has requested a continuation to a date uncertain to evaluate the Planning Commission conditions with his project. This item will be continued.

[All 22 draft conditions]
All 22 draft conditions

These appear to be the 22 draft conditions from the Levy County Planning Commission about the proposed Special Exception for the 3RT Sand Mine. See also PDF.

Draft Conditions from the Planning Commission to the BoCC on SE 23-01 3RT Sand Mine

Continue reading →