Last Monday was Hans Tanzler III ‘s last day as head of his water district. He had served in the district’s administration as a Governing Board member, general counsel and executive director for a period of seven years, and will now return to his career as a business law and tax attorney.
Tanzler served his term during the severe staff and budget cuts wielded by Gov. Scott, whose term has also brought an emphasis on accelerating the water permit process. Tanzler’s philosophy during his term as director echoed that of Scott. He writes: “In the case of regulatory permitting for water withdrawals or to alter the landscape, the district should be trusted to approach permit applicants, not as adversaries, but as taxpayer constituents who have a problem and need a solution.”
This, unfortunately, is the philosophy that is destroying Florida’s water resources, with the blessing of those paid a salary to protect them.
How, might you say, does this affect our Santa Fe River? Two ways: first, part of the Santa Fe drainage lies within the boundaries of the St Johns WMD, and secondly, drawing out too much water from the aquifer in one region will affect the aquifer in another, as water seeks its own level.
So I am sure Mr. Tanzler served his boss well, but did he serve the public interest of the people of Florida? Or just those “taxpayer constituents” who had a problem and found a solution with a water permit?
See this link to the Gainesville Sun to read the original article.
