Tavares, FL - Alternative News from Lake County, FL that the mainstream media won't tell you
Update 3/20/2014 - Fox News Orlando 35's Tracy Jacim dropped by to interview myself, and then Andy Dubois, president of the North Lake Tea Party about the septic tank issue. I added two pictures below.
NOTE: Below Carol's article is a more detailed article from Dave VonGunten from the North Lake Tea Party.
IF YOU LIKE YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEM, YOU CAN KEEP YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEM - BUT ONLY IF YOU ACT!
Guest Writer: Carol Knighton from the Leesburg Regional Tea Party, Leesburg , FL
Florida SB 1576 - a threat to our property rights AND bad legislation. This bill is titled "An Act Relating To Springs." Sounds like something that will protect our fresh water sources. But it doesn't do that. And besides, the EPA through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's "Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) has committees that already include regional representatives from counties and municipalities with the expertise to identify, design, and implement projects likely to achieve clean water standards, including those that impact surface water, ground water and springs.
This bill targets septic systems as a significant contributor to nitrogen pollution. There is NO scientific evidence to show such. AND there is evidence to show that connecting to treatment plants (which is what this bill promotes) can cause pollution. Any industry expert will admit that between a home and a waste treatment plant, a minimum of 10% of the raw sewage leaks from the sewer pipes into the environment.
SB 1576 also proposes creating a new layer of local government called a "Responsible Management Entity" (RME). This entity will consist of non-elected appointees with rule-making authority to “manage” all septic systems and do whatever they deem appropriate to “remediate” alleged pollution from septic systems. They will be given the power to assess fees to cover costs, whatever they are. This duplicates the responsibilities already delegated by statute to the Department of Health, Bureau of On-Site Sewage.
And possibly, worse of all, SB 1576 calls for "prevention" strategies. It justifies rule-making and land acquisition hoping to “remediate” anything that MIGHT be a threat. .It is possible that this prevention strategy could trigger eminent domain action in the name of “preventing” or stopping potential harm to water quality, and do it in the name of the public good.
Property owners should look carefully at SB 1576 and be very wary of it and those who support it.
If you feel strongly, as I do, that this bill should not go forward, please contact Committee members - as well as your own Florida Senators and
Representatives - and let them know how you feel. Committee members and their email addresses follow. To send an email, simply copy and paste their email addresses.
Senator Charles S. Dean, Sr. (R) (Chair) [email protected]
Senator Joseph Abruzzo (D) (Vice Chair) [email protected]
Senator Thad Altman (R) [email protected]
Senator Dwight Bullard (D) [email protected]
Senator Andy Gardiner (R) [email protected]
Senator Denise Grimsley (R) [email protected]
Senator Jack Latvala (R) [email protected]
Senator Wilton Simpson (R) [email protected]
Senator Darren Soto (D) [email protected]
Thank you!
Carol - Carol Knighton [[email protected]]
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Here is another take on the same septic tank issue and SB-1576 from Dave VonGunten, co-founder of the North Lake Tea Party.
Property Rights At Stake in Florida Senate
Call or email 9 Florida Senators Today!
The latest threat to property rights, not to mention just bad government policy, is SB 1576 entitled, “An act relating to springs.”
It is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Committee on Environmental Protection and Conservation Thursday, March 20, at 8 AM. You can see the bill by going to www.flsenate.gov and inserting the bill number in the search engine.
Many, if not most, Floridians recognize the need to protect water quantity and quality. And, that certainly means protecting Florida’s springs and aquifer. Politicians know this and some want to join the stampede to pass “something” to “protect” springs. But, don’t be fooled…SB 1576 will not do that. Here’s why
SB 1576 needlessly targets septic systems as a significant contributor to nitrogen pollution.
In fact, there is no scientific evidence to show such. The only testing to have been done on real septic systems was conducted in 2007 in the Wekiva Study Area. Out of 55,000 septic systems in this area, only three were tested over a very short period of time. The report that was issued following the research warned to NOT consider these results as atypical and NOT to extrapolate these results to other septic systems. Subsequent reports have fraudulently called this “science.” This bill will throw taxpayer money away rather than contribute to protecting Florida’s water.
In fact, because the bill calls for connecting homes to sewer systems, evidence shows it will actually contribute to pollution. How could that be? Any industry expert will admit that, between a home and a waste treatment plant, a minimum of 10% of the raw sewage leaks from the sewer pipes into the environment.
Also of note, in 1997, in the Town of Suwanee, Florida, a waste water treatment plant was constructed to combat problems of nutrient and bacterial pollution. Approximately 850 septic systems were closed and connected to the treatment plant. Based on river and canal water samples collected before construction and 10 years after construction, no significant change in the nitrogen content was found. The report specifically states septic systems were not the cause of the nitrogen pollution – as had been assumed.
SB 1576 creates a new layer of local government called a Responsible Management Entity (RME).
This entity will consist of non-elected appointees with rule making authority to “manage” all septic systems and do whatever they deem appropriate to “remediate” alleged pollution from septic systems. Additionally, the bill states they will have the “management skills, personnel, financial capacity, and technical expertise to properly operate and maintain” all septic systems and their expense structure. This duplicates the responsibilities already delegated by statute to the Department of Health, Bureau of On-Site Sewage and gives the RME’s the ability to assess additional fees to cover costs, whatever they are.
SB 1576 duplicates plans that are already working.
What many people do not know is that there is already an EPA approved process in place to protect springs. It is coordinated through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and is called the Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP). The BMAP committees already include regional representatives from counties and municipalities with the expertise to identify, design, and implement projects likely to achieve clean water standards, including those that impact surface water, ground water, and springs.
SB 1576 incorporates the precautionary principle by calling for “prevention” strategies. It justifies rule-making and land acquisition hoping to “remediate” anything that MIGHT be a threat. It is possible that this prevention strategy could trigger eminent domain action in the name of “preventing” or stopping potential harm to water quality, and do it in the name of the public good. This is the philosophy of the extreme sustainable development movement and is a means to discredit and ignore property rights, legislative oversight, and accountability.
Property owners should look carefully at SB 1576 and be very wary of it and those who support it.
If you would like to express your thoughts about SB 1576, click on the following link:
http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/EP/
You may alternatively visit www.flsenate.gov. On the white toolbar click on “Committees,” and then click on “Environmental Preservation and Conservation”.
There you will find the Senators on that committee with access to their Tallahassee office phone number and email address.
In expressing your thoughts to the Senators via email, please copy: [email protected]. Thank you!
Remember the words of Edmond Burke,
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."
Thomas Jefferson
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Later, on March 19, 2014, Fox News Orlando 35's reporter Tracy Jacim interviewed myself at my home (I have a spetic tank) and also Andy Dubois, President of the North Lake Tea Party, about this septic tank issue:
