The permit was approved by the Governing Board of the Suwannee River Water Management District upon the instructions and admonitions of the District’s and the Seven Springs’ lawyers. The roughly twenty thousand letters from the public opposing the permit were not for a moment considered and thus the issue of public interest required by law was not a factor.
The District also ignored the statute stating that Outstanding Florida Waters are protected from polluters and excessive water users. The fact remains that the Santa Fe River does not meet its minimum flows and levels as defined by the Department of Environmental Protection. It is deemed by the state to be in recovery and drawing more water from it just for a private company to make money will delay its restoration and is not in the public interest but only in the interest of the Wray family who wants to exploit the river and draw it down even more.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
