I provide this update on the Florida Septic Tank Issue Courtesy of Dave Von Gunten and the North Lake County Tea Party.
There is now the Florida wide "Tea Party Network" of over 170 Independent Tea Party organizations and our own Lake County activist, Patricia Sullivan is Chair of the network.
They had established Florida wide issue coordinators and this information is from the one for the Florida Septic Tank issue, which is a previous, very onerous law that would require every home owner with a septic tank to have it inspected and incur excessively high expenses. The law was pushed through by environmentalists and septic tank cleaning firms. Be sure to read the consumer tip below:
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Septic Tank Issue:
Here is the latest on the Septic Tank Issue from Sharon Glass, the Tea Party Network coordinator on the issue
Dear Patriots,
Current Status of SB550 and the Ban on Treated Septage
SB550: I am sorry I have not sent anything to you on what happened to SB550 the last day of session. I have been out of town, arrived home yesterday and have just now been able to wrap my brain around all that happened. I am happy to report that this law is NOT likely to be implemented on July 1, 2011 even though it was not repealed during the legislative session.
Why will it not be implemented? The legislature's new requirements for approval by the Legislative Budget Commission (LBC) will delay the rule making procedure for the implementation date because of the financial impact. It is likely that it will be brought up again in the 2012 legislative session, so we have several months to work on a plan.
Warning: Unscrupulous septic tank companies in other parts of Florida are already telling homeowners they can get ahead of the law being implemented July 1, 2012 by pumping out their tank now. Please don't fall for this as there is more to the law than pumping out the tank. If you get a call from a company, please let me know. I also understand that some DOH office are giving out wrong information. No one can enforce this law until LBC does something with it.
Ban on land application of treated septage: A bill was passed in the house to repeal the ban, but the Senate did not vote on it this session. This will likely come up again in the next session.
What do we need to do next? First, take a deep breath you have all worked so hard this session and this is not a defeat. Representative Marti Coley and the House of Representatives did not sway one time for a full repeal, we also had senators (such as Senator Evers and Senator Gaetz), who worked really hard to get a repeal bill. It is my understanding that it was teamwork that was responsible for SB550 being delayed further. I will try to put together a list of all of the senators and house members who worked so hard for us so we can personally thank them. They deserve it! I will also get something out to you as soon as I meet with those who know what we need to do next.
Personal Note: As state lead on the septic tank issue I want to give a big thanks to all of the regional/area Septic Tank Issue leads and Regional Coordinators for getting out the alerts, action items etc. to your members. It has been a very hectic time for this issue and other issues, and we will get busy again. This may seem like a defeat, but it isn't, it is just a battle that has been delayed. Let me be the first to assure you that in my many trips to Tallahassee since November of last year, it is very evident that we have made a difference! In 2012 we will do even greater things.
Fellow patriots, as you rest your weary fingers and minds for a short time (all warriors have to take a needed rest)...let me remind you that we will prevail, because We Are The People.
God bless,
Sharon Glass
Public Awareness Coordinator
Santa Rosa Tea Party Patriots
A Further Update:
Dear Patriots,
This came from Senator Evers today, thought you might like to see it. He has stated that repealing the septic tank inspection program will be his Number 1 priority the next session, so lets all support him in this endeavor.
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Weekly Update - May 13, 2011 |
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Dear Friends, We must repeal the septic tank mandatory inspection program. I have opposed this terrible program all along. Back in 2010 when Senate Bill 550 first established the septic tank program, I voted NO. In the 2010 December special session, I co-sponsored the legislation that postponed the implementation date of the program from January 1, 2011, to July 1, 2011, with the intent, hope and belief that we would repeal the entire program during the 2011 legislative session. The very first bill I filed for the 2011 legislative session was Senate Bill 168 - a complete and total repeal of the septic tank inspection program. I fought hard for this legislation, but I was only able to get my colleagues to pass it through its first committee of reference. Another bill that would have partially repealed the program, Senate Bill 1698, was also filed this session. I opposed Senate Bill 1698 because I felt that it did not go far enough in stopping the mandatory inspection program for all impacted Northwest Floridians, and because I did not believe it was based on sound science. When Senate Bill 1698 came to the floor of the Senate on the next-to-the-last night of the legislative session, I filed three amendments to the bill, all of which would have stopped in full the mandatory septic tank inspection program. Senate leadership postponed consideration of the bill and my amendments and we never came back to the issue before the session concluded. While I was, much to my regret, unable to get my Senate colleagues to join me in passing a complete repeal of the septic tank inspection program this session, I am still 100% committed to stopping this program. The 2011 budget bills contain language that will have the impact of continuing the moratorium on the program through June 30, 2012. I have also personally had numerous conversations with, and secured commitments from, the Department of Health that the Department will not move forward on implementing the septic tank inspection program without affirmative legislative approval. Most importantly, I have already begun moving forward on legislation to permanently repeal the septic tank inspection program during the 2012 legislative session. I will fight for the total repeal of this program with everything I have, and it will continue to be my Number 1 priority until I have succeeded. I encourage you to keep fighting with me by reaching out to all members of the Florida Senate and urging them to repeal this expensive, outrageous and unnecessary expansion of government into people’s private lives. Together, I firmly believe we will succeed in stopping this. If I can be of any further service to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Sincerely,
Greg Evers |
