|
In preparation for the 2005 hurricane
season, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
recently published a notice of rule development to
increase protection for Florida s
natural resources and strengthen environmental
management requirements for phosphogypsum stack
systems.
The proposed rule requires operators
of gyp
stack systems to
better plan for emergencies and take actions to reduce
on-site water levels, avoid wastewater spills, and
provide the State with timely information.
We
are asking phosphate companies to take additional
precautions to prevent spills during Floridas
hurricane and rainy season,
said Allan
Bedwell, DEP Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs
and Energy . By
proposing this rule, the Department is adding another
layer of protection to Floridas
environment and waterways.
The
proposed rule amendments:
· Ensure
that phosphogypsum stack systems can operate in a
manner that avoids spills or discharges of wastewater;
· Require
that on-site treatment systems, or other water
consumption methods, are sufficient to avoid spills of
process wastewater, during or following periods of
chronic or catastrophic rainfall;
· Strengthen
existing requirements for emergency storage ponds or
containment areas;
· Increase
the reporting requirements of stack operators when
on-site water levels in the stacks begin to reach high
levels.
DEP has already implemented a
requirement for hurricane preparedness and emergency
contingency plans for each phosphate fertilizer plant
and associated mine and reclamation areas. As
|
a result, companies have improved
maintenance of dikes, made provisions for back-up
power, increased inventories of water treatment
chemicals, and created and optimized use of emergency
process water holding or diversion areas.
My Turn
By Linda
Fudala-Tucker
The DEP announcement about new
regulations last week seemed a bit of good news
wrapped in nebulous wording. It comes at a time when
the phosphate industry is planning to expand its
operations in Florida with the most recent being a
4,200 acre tract near Horse Creek, a tributary to the
Peace River.
Within the last two weeks, articles in
the Sarasota Herald Tribune and elsewhere have
reported of massive dumping of excess acidic waste
water from phosphate mining into the Gulf after major
weather events. (Whats the logic of that? You have
to wonder.)
From the Idaho-Florida website www.thephosphaterisk.com
" For
instance, in early 2001, the Mulberry Corporation
walked away and abandoned their Polk County and Piney
Point phosphate operations, eventually filing for
bankruptcy. With the company unable to assure
environmental security at the facilities, the State of
Florida took over the responsibility. Later that year,
Tropical Storm Gabrielle hit the Tampa Bay area,
dumping 12 inches of rainfall on Piney Point. The
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
authorized 10 million gallons of partially treated
wastewater to be dumped into Bishop's
Harbor, seriously impacting nutrient levels in Tampa
Bay. |
" Industry
restitution for the Piney Point spill is estimated to
be $2.5 to $3 million but projections estimate it will
cost in the range of $164 million to clean up the
spill, completely close down and reclaim the phosphate
operations. The taxpayers of Florida are left to cover
the costs of the Mulberry Corporation's
financial disaster."
Reducing the
number of phosphate mines is the only REAL means of
reducing the threat of spills. And the DEP new laws
are already too little, too late.
MAKE A NOISE ABOUT
PHOSPHATE MINING
Tell the governor to deny the Ona
(Horse Creek) strip-mining permit. If he insists on
issuing the permit, tell him to leave in the hearing
officer 's
strong conditions and controls. Also visit the website
established by Charlotte County and Idaho, whose Deer
Creek is facing the same threat at www.thephosphaterisk.com
|
