Sarasota Herald-Tribune
As wastewater from the old Piney Point fertilizer plant property in Manatee County continued to be pumped out Wednesday at a rate of 38 million gallons a day and dumped into Tampa Bay, state officials announced two companies have been hired to treat the water before discharging.
“The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) tasked two innovative technology companies to initiate nutrient reduction and removal treatments from water on-site prior to discharging to Port Manatee,” DEP said in a press release that provided no other details on the treatment effort.
Funding for the Piney Point cleanup effort also advanced in the Florida Legislature on Wednesday, work was expected to proceed on patching a leak in a wastewater containment pond liner, DEP announced elevated levels of phosphorus were detected around the discharge site and environmentalists criticized past state oversight efforts.
Officials Say Second Breach Concern Discovered in Florida Phosphate Reservoir
A drone discovered a possible second breach in a large Florida wastewater reservoir as more pumps were headed to the site to prevent a catastrophic flood, officials said Monday.
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Republican, toured the area by helicopter Monday and said federal resources were committed to assisting the effort to control the 77-acre Piney Point reservoir in Manatee County, just south of the Tampa Bay area.
Among those are the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, Buchanan said at a news conference.
“I think we are making some progress,” Buchanan said. “This is something that has been going on too long. Now, I think everybody is focused on this.”
Wastewater crisis sheds light on Florida’s environmental troubles
An aerial view of the Piney Point reservoir site.
Photo: Florida Department of Environmental Protection
By Janette Neuwahl Tannen and Robert C. Jones Jr.
04-07-2021
Photo: Florida Department of Environmental Protection Wastewater crisis sheds light on Florida’s environmental troubles By Janette Neuwahl Tannen and Robert C. Jones Jr.
04-07-2021
University experts in marine science, environmental health, law, and engineering reflect on state and local leaders’ decisions during a crisis prompted by contaminated water spewing from an old phosphate retention pond.
Government leaders from across the state of Florida are breathing a sigh of relief as the threat of a toxic flood seems to be dissipating in the Tampa Bay area.
Jaclyn Lopez, Center for Biological Diversity, (727) 490-9190, jlopez@biologicaldiversity.org
Emily Deanne, National Resources Defense Council, (860) 318-6636, edeanne@nrdc.org
Hike, Rally to Save Everglades’ Big Cypress Set for Saturday
National Preserve Threatened by Oil Drilling
BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE,
Fla. At 9 a.m. on Saturday conservation advocates Betty Osceola and the Rev. Houston Cypress will lead environmental leaders and the media on a socially distanced hike in Big Cypress National Preserve along the route of a proposed oil well pad access road.
A press conference and socially distanced rally will follow the hike. Supporters can follow the event live online.
UpdatedSat, Apr 10, 2021 at 12:11 am ET
Reply
This effort is funded through a $75,000 grant provided by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. (Pinellas County )
PINELLAS COUNTY, FL Pinellas County has identified potential policies to address the reduction of current and future flood risks in its coastal areas.
Drafted as a part of the Resilience Planning Grant (RPG) project and with the help of different stakeholders, the identified draft policies address the Peril of Flood statute requirements.
The policies specifically focus on, reducing current and future flood risks in coastal areas, that are caused by situations such as, high-tide events, storm surge and sea level rise. The draft policies were identified through the Resilience Planning Grant (RPG) project. This effort is funded through a $75,000 grant provided by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.