5-20-16 WSA Board Meeting Minutes
Overview
The Wakulla Springs Alliance held a Board meeting on May 20, 2016 at the Renaissance Center. The draft agenda and list of participants can be found in Appendices A and B. Review the action items underlined below for your commitments and actions you can help with. This report is based on the secretary’s notes and does not capture everything or exactly what was said.
Opening
Chair Sean McGlynn welcomed everyone, reviewed the meeting agenda and everyone introduced themselves. The minutes of the last Board meeting and Treasurer’s Report were approved.
The Wakulla BMAP and the DACS Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP)
Daniel Stanley and Katie Hallas explained how the Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) is actively involved in the development of Best Management Practices (BMPs) addressing both water quality and water conservation on a site-specific, regional and a watershed basis. The office is directly involved with implement the Federal Clean Water Act's Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for agriculture. The OAWP works cooperatively with agricultural producers and industry groups, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the university system, the Water Management Districts, and other interested parties to develop and implement BMP programs within the Wakulla BMAP Program.
Ag BMPs are science-based and must be economically and technically feasible for producers to implement. There is a manual and a cost share program. Requirements 403.167 for commercial agriculture require enrollment or monitoring. DEP is doing rule making for water quality monitoring. Agriculture uses 7% of land and contributes 15% of the nutrient loading in the Wakulla BMAP area. This is 2009 landuse data. It has changed and numbers will be updated.
BMP categories include: nutrient irrigation, surface water waste management, buffers and setbacks and records. There are 8 Manuals: cow/calf, sod, fruit/nut, equine, citrus, nursery, veg, dairies, poultry, forestry and aquaculture. There are updated periodically Field Staff meet with owners to obtain a Notice of Intent to follow BMPs. They work with Cattlemen’s Associations and others. Most owners know about the program. There are 5,776 A in BMAP Primary Focus Areas. Not all acres are enrolled (877 A). Owners must enroll in BMAP or monitoring. None have chosen the monitoring option yet. DACS and DEP coordinate enforcement in the entire BMAP area, not just Primary Focus Areas.
The Implementation Assistance, IA, follows up to verify and support compliance. New staff will expand the number of site visits. Surveys are also used. Rulemaking is in process. Cost-Share Programs are processed through Soil and Water Conservation Districts. DEP and WMDs enforce enrollment and implementation and provide some funding.
Wakulla Springs BMAP Meeting and Projects
Debbie Lightsey and Bob Deyle explained the WSA Memo to Vielhauer et al. re Woodville Phase I.05-09-16, in Appendix D, that encouraged that the Woodville sewering project be set to the side and that there be an evaluation of alternatives, including related expanded development impacts. Substitute projects are suggested.
Tom Taylor made motion for the WSA to write an op-ed using the info in the letter, seconded by Cal Jameson and that passed unanimously. Bob Deyle will talk to Theresa Heiker first to discuss the funding process.
Bob Deyle will be on the OSTDS committee and Bob Henderson is our alternate. Anthony Gaudio and Meeks, Theresa Heiker, John Buss and Alex Mahon are also on the committee. The appointments and meeting schedule haven’t been formally announced. There will also be technical meetings to identify the nutrient reductions by source/activity using the same metrics and assumptions. We will continue to work with the WMD and local governments on funding, including the wastewater study and facilities plan, which is needed to prioritize BMAP activities.
Legislative Update
Ryan Smart, President of 1000 Friends of Florida, urged everyone to see the 1000 Friends of Florida website for a fuller summary. The Florida Forever bill is better than it could have been but is still bad. Adjacent property owners can access BMP staff. It does set deadlines for MFLs and there are lots of loopholes. Some senators are interested in closing loopholes next year. Pam Hall will contact Tom Frick and Alex Mahon to determine whether Counties can now institute Performance-Based OSTD systems.
Ames Sink Acquisition
Please see Appendix E for the letter to the NWFWMD regarding the Ames Sink Acquisition. Ames sink takes 30% of the City’s stormwater in the WS watershed. The dye trace study showed a 20-day travel time to Wakulla Springs. There are some private tracts that could be acquired that would provide additional protection before stormwater flows into the sink. This has valuable educational value. Ames Sink is one of the stops on Jim Stevenson’s tours. The owner of Ames Sink is a welling seller. Sean and Jim will talk to Johnny Richardson, Theresa Heiker and others about acquisition.
Debbie Lightsey Park Proposal
There is a proposed park that will be named for Debbie Lightsey. It will be a natural area that combines stormwater treatment and passive recreation. It will clean up the stormwater before getting to Lake Munson. There will be plantings that will enhance nutrient removal. It is a step forward in how road projects are done. There will a meeting on May 26 at TCC that should be attended by WSA members.
Buckeye Symposium
WSA members are encouraged to attend the symposium on July 18 regarding efforts to move the pipeline off-shore
US 319 project,
See the response from the FDOT Secretary's office in Appendix E. Bob Deyle focused on the rapid flow stormwater ponds. FDOT isn’t addressing nutrients. Soil analysis shows direct connections to the aquifers. The letter pointed out the legal requirements to address nutrients. The letter was sent on March 18 and we received an email on May 16 saying “No.” We need to go back to Michael Batement at the WMD who said they will consider nutrients when they do their impact analysis. We need to stay in the loop. An op-ed may be appropriate in the future. We could also meet with the Editorial Board and they may initiate stories. There may also be ways to use social media to engage the public and public officials. Jamie Hughes, Pam Hall and Sean McGlynn will work on the social media and website.
Big Bend Environmental Forum
Seán McGlynn proposed our joining the BBEF. Tom Taylor made a motion, seconded by Bob Deyle and approved unanimously to pay $80 for a 2-year membership. Pam Hall will represent WSA and we will
Munson Symposium,
Everyone is encouraged to attend the Symposium, June 9, 2016 8:30-5:30 at the Leon Co Extension Office. This Leon County Science Advisory Committee meeting will talk about Ames, Lightsey park and removal of PCBs in Lake Munson. It is a status update on water quality and quantity.
License Plate Grant and Tracing Studies
Bob Deyle reported that the WSA got an extension of our grant and will be expanding testing up into the conduits to show whether algae are from somewhere else. There is also sampling in Lakes Jackson and Lafayette. Bob Deyle is the project manager and Sean McGlynn is doing the testing. Rob Spenser and David Podgorski at FSU got a grant too. They will identify the molecules associated with the color study. WSA also got an extension on the dark water study. The first cuts of the grant funded video have been done.
Springshed Updates
Cal Jamison announced that the Wakulla State Forest annual meeting was at Wakulla Springs on Monday May 23.
Cal is running for the Soil and Water Conservation District and there is a need for more candidates.
Wakulla County has permitted a cemetery on sink and above the cave system.
The 10-member church cemetery will be open to the public. A citizen put up $430 to file a protest. Cal took the cave map to the Wakulla County and she said that is a done deal now and forever. There are sinkholes and areas that have flooded. Wakulla County has no regulations for the 130 cemeteries in Wakulla County and there may be 30+ others we don’t know where they are. There may be state rules.
Appendix A
Agenda 05/20/16
9 am to 12 pm, Renaissance Center
435 N. Macomb Street, 2nd Floor Conference Room
WSA Board Meeting Draft
9:00 Opening
· Welcome and meeting agenda review (Seán McGlynn)
· Introductions (Board)
· Secretary Minutes (Tom Taylor)
o Please see attachment 1
· Treasurer Report (Howard Kessler)
o Please see attachment 2
9:05 The Wakulla BMAP and the Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) – Cal Jamison
Daniel Stanley and Katie Hallas will talk about how the Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) is actively involved in the development of Best Management Practices (BMPs) addressing both water quality and water conservation on a site-specific, regional and watershed basis. And how that office is directly involved with implement the Federal Clean Water Act's Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for agriculture. The OAWP works cooperatively with agricultural producers and industry groups, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the university system, the Water Management Districts, and other interested parties to develop and implement BMP programs within the Wakulla BMAP Program – Daniel Stanley and Katie Hallas
9:30 Wakulla Springs BMAP Meeting and Projects – Debbie Lightsey and Bob Deyle
o Please see Attachment 3 - FY 2016-2017 Proposed Springs Projects as submitted to FDEP.pdf
o Please see Attachment 4 - WSA Memo to Vielhauer et al. re Woodville Phase I.05-09-16.pdf
o Please see Attachment 5 - Woodville Sewer System Phase I and II Springs Restoration.pdf
o Please see Attachment 6 - 2016-17 City of Tallahassee Septic Connect.pdf
o Please see Attachment 7 - Madeleine Carr Sewer money letter to Wakulla News Editor.doc
10:30 What’s new
· Legislative Update –Ryan Smart, President of 1000 Friends of Florida
· Ames Sink Acquisition - Bob Deyle
o Please see Attachment 8 - Ames Sink Acquisition WSA 050216.pdf
· Buckeye Symposium – Howard Kessler
· Rehwinkle Cemetery - Seán McGlynn
· US 319 project, response from the FDOT Secretary's office – Bob Deyle
· Land Acquisition (Ames Sink Project) - Bob Deyle
· Ichetucknee Springs - Seán McGlynn
o Please see Attachment 9 - fwspringsletterofsupporttemplatepleaseshare.zip
· BBEF – Seán McGlynn
· Munson Symposium, June 9, 2016 - Seán McGlynn
· License Plate Grant and Tracing Studies – Bob Deyle
· Springshed Updates - Cal Jamison
11:30 Items from the floor
12:00 Adjourn
Appendix B
Board, Advisors and Guests
* Indicates 5-20-16 Participants
Board Members
Bob Deyle *
Gail Fishman *
Albert Gregory
Cal Jamison *
Howard Kessler
Todd Kincaid
Debbie Lightsey *
Terrance McCaffrey
Sean McGlynn *
Ryan Smart *
Jim Stevenson *
Tom Taylor *
Rob Williams
WSA Advisors
Anthony Gaudio
Pam Hall *
Julie Harrington
Bob Henderson *
Bob Knight
Pam McVety
Dan Pennington
Bob Thompson
Guests
Doug Barr Retired
Brett Cyphers NWFWMD
Rich Dinkel EcoSense
Charlie Donahue Retired
Mark Heidecker City of Tallahassee
Jamie Hughes CDM Smith/PSU
Alan Niedsroda Friends of Lake Jackson
Daniel Stanley FACS-OAWA
Yuki Takatsuka FSU Center for Economic Forecasting and Analysis
Nick Wooten NWFWMD
Appendix C
Wakulla Springs Alliance Treasurer Report
for May 20, 2016 meeting
Treasurer Report For month ending April 30, 2016
Starting Balance February 29, 2016: 3,663.27
Deposits : None
Withdrawals: None
Balance ending March 31, 2016: 3,663.27
Appendix D
TO: Brett Cypher, Tom Frick, Theresa Heiker, Trina Vielhauer
DATE: May 9, 2016
FROM: Seán McGlynn, Chair, Wakulla Springs Alliance
RE: Request to postpone funding of Woodville Sewer System Project Phase I
The final 2014 Basin Management Action Plan for the Upper Wakulla River and
Wakulla Springs Basin (section 1.3.4) defines the Onsite Treatment and Disposal
System (OSTDS) Initiative as the primary action required to reduce nitrate loadings
to the system in an effort to attain the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) target of
0.35 mg/L nitrate‐nitrogen. The objective of the OSTDS Initiative it to "identify
effective, financially feasible . . . comprehensive and sustainable management and
engineering strategies . . . to reduce existing loading and prevent future nutrient
loading from OSTDS sources" (pp. 11; 12). With limited state financial resources
available to restore springs statewide, it is essential that those moneys be spent in a
manner that maximizes cost‐effectiveness and minimizes unintended impacts on
Wakulla Springs and the quality of life in rural Leon and Wakulla counties.
Toward that end, the Wakulla Springs Alliance respectfully urges FDEP, the
Northwest Water Management District, and Leon County to remove the Phase I
Woodville Sewer System Project from the list of projects to be funded in this cycle
with state Springs Restoration monies (HB 5001, March 11, 2106). We recommend
that state and county funds be used instead for the Bellair/Annawood Sewer
System Project or the Northeast Lake Munson Sewer System Project, both of which
are listed as potential future projects for state funding and both of which are
located within the Tallahassee‐Leon County Urban Services Area (USA).
We believe the Woodville Sewer System Project requires further evaluation prior to
state funding for two reasons:
1. The Woodville Sewer System Project was identified over a decade ago, as a
means to reduce OSTDS nutrient loadings from the Woodville area and to enable
growth and development as designated by the Comprehensive Plan that is currently
constrained by state regulations dictating minimum lot sizes where OSTDSs are
used to manage sanitary wastewater. Leon County has not considered any other
engineering technology or management approaches. Viable alternative
technological and management approaches are available, and identifying
alternatives best suited to remediating nitrate loading from OSTDSs within the
Wakulla BMPA area is precisely what is to be done under the BMAP OSTDS Initiative with input from
the OSTDS Advisory Committee. Such analyses also are encompassed by the Alternative Sewer
Solutions Project (formerly project #39/43) included in Blueprint 2020 Sales Tax Project 49 ‐ Water