I got an email from a neighbor and got to work and wrote an email to Darrin Herbst, Dave Kramer, Michelle Hopkins and Danielle Sailler. All of the addresses are similar, ex
Darrin.Herbst@watermatters.org Please take the time to write a quick note to these folks. The Permit application is #20020576.000 and the project is Fern Spring / SWR Properties, LLC. The application has not turned into a permit yet. The following is an email that sparked me to write:
Date: May 17, 2016
Subject: New Permit to Pump Water from Fern Springs Could Effect Village Homes
Below are several contacts where we can send our concerns opposing the Ocala company from pumping water from the springs in Sumter county.
Please read. This has the potential of having a huge effect on The Villages.
Fern Spring Permit for 892,000 gallons of water per day!
Donald Brozick from Gilchrist West
UPDATE ON WATER PERMIT
Fern Spring
SWR Properties, LLC
Application # 200020576.000
Sumter County
There was a meeting on May 4th and a subsequent meeting coming up ( not sure the date yet). Not too late to voice your concerns.
The Spring Water Resources of Ocala is the company that has filed a permit application with the state Water Use Permit Bureau to pump water from Fern Spring and an unnamed spring east of CR 470 and north of U.S. 301 in Sumter County. The water would be sold to Azure Water of Leesburg, whose clients include Consolidated Water Group, Publix, Niagara Bottling Co., DS Water and Nestle Water. It has potential effect to our homes in The Villages ( water table, sink holes, etc). A pumping station, loading driveway and office building would be built on the 10.5-acre property, which is owned by Spring Water Resources.
On an average day, the well operation would operate 13.3 hours, filling 80 trucks with 6,200 gallons each. But during peak months, the well would operate 24 hours a day, pumping 892,000 gallons a day and filling 144 trucks, according to permit application documents. I understand that there is another meeting planned so it is important that you voice your concerns.
Feel free to communicate this around since the company is trying to take a low key approach on this and working to keep it under the radar screen before the residence can do anything about it. That is why the permit is for 892,000 and not 1,000,000 ( pretty sneaky since if it keeps a judge from reviewing the application). If you want to voice your objection, here is the information on how to voice your concerns. I am giving you several contacts to voice your opinion. May want to send one email and copy all on the contacts list below.
The more emails they get the more attention it gets.
See below on the information and who to contact.
From: Justin Eddy <Justin.Eddy@swfwmd.state.fl.us>
Subject: NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING – May 4, 2016 at 9:00 AM
Date: April 29, 2016 at 3:16:29 PM EDT
Notice of Public Meeting – Pending Permit Applications
Tampa Service Office, 7601 US Highway 301 North, Tampa FL 33637-6759
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING – May 4, 2016 at 9:00 AM
To ensure that the public has an opportunity to provide in person input into the District’s permitting process, District staff holds monthly public meetings prior to making decisions on Individual water use and environmental resource permits. A meeting notice and agenda (including the date, time and location) are posted on the District’s web site prior to each meeting).
To comment in person, interested persons should attend the appropriate permitting public meeting when the permit application of interest is on the agenda. If you have submitted a comment via one of the written or electronic means listed below, you are not required to attend the meeting to have your comment considered prior to the permitting decision.
o Send comments via email to Michelle Hopkins,
Michelle.Hopkins@watermatters.org ERP Bureau Chief; or
o Schedule an appointment to discuss your comments with Dave Kramer,
Dave.Kramer@watermatters.org , ERP Evaluation Manager.
o Send comments via email to Darrin Herbst,
Darrin.Herbst@watermatters.org WUP Bureau Chief; or
o Schedule an appointment to discuss your comments with Claire Muirhead,
Claire.Muirhead@watermatters.org WUP Evaluation Manager.
NOTE: When sending comments via US mail or email, please clearly state in the subject line: "PUBLIC COMMENT FOR (APPLICATION # 200020576.000), (COUNTY Sumter )". This will ensure your comments are directed to the appropriate application reviewer as quickly as possible.
You can search for pending permits (by application number, project name, or by county) or sign up for electronic notification of applications received by visiting:
ePermitting.
For questions concerning a particular permit or this process, please contact Danielle Sailler
Danielle.Sailler@WaterMatters.org at (813) 985-7481 or (800) 423-1476 (FL Only), extension 4355. (Click on name to send questions via email.)
Thanks,
Justin J. Eddy
Regulatory Support Technician
Southwest Florida Water Management District
7601 Highway 301 North, Tampa, FL 33637
Phone: 813-985-7481 Ext 2097
Fax: 813-987-6467
Link to E-Permitting
Prior to hearing about who to contact, I sent an email to Danielle M Sailler ( see email address) and it was quite easy and received a confirmation that it was included rather quickly. With enough letters or emails, this will force a response an administrative hearing before a judge ( which is what the company is trying to avoid).
If you write a LETTER to:
Ralph Kerr, Sr Professional Geologist, 7601 US Highway 301 North,Tampa ,Fl 33637. Also Danielle Sailler,Manager:
Danielle M. Sailler
Manager, Regulatory Support
Regulatory Support Bureau
Southwest Florida Water Management District
7601 Highway 301 North
Tampa, FL 33637-6759
1-800-836-0797 (FL only) or 813-985-7481, ext. 4355
danielle.sailler@watermatters.org
Additionally, you can write letters to your county commissioners: Al Butler,
Doug Gilpin, Don Burgess, Garry Breeden, Don Hahnfeldt…their addresses are in the Villages phone book.
ePermitting
swfwmd.state.fl.us
I hope this helps you in prompting you to also write an email. Be sure to put in the subject line: PUBLIC COMMENT FOR (APPLICATION # 200020576.000), (COUNTY Sumter )