Board narrowly backs Seminole water plan - Orlando Business Journal:

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million gallons of water a day fromthe St. Johne River was approved April 13 ina 5-4 vote by the . Accordinh to a release, the district’s board approved the permir forthe $42.5 milliojn project, which included: • Up to 1 milliob gallons of water per day woulx be used to augment Seminole County’s reclaimede water system in place of groundwater. Up to 4.5 million gallons of water a day starting in2014 — to supplement potable groundwater supplies. Representatives from Jacksonville-area governmentse and the St. Johns Riverkeepere contributed to an overflow crowd in Palatkq atthe hearing.
The Riverkeeper organizationm sponsored a bus ride to transpory opponents of the permit tothe district’ds offices in Palatka for the hearing. Originally, Seminole Counth submitted the permit application in 2004 requesting the abilitg towithdraw 7.25 millionm gallons of water per day for 20 years. The project alread y has support fromthe , and U.S. Fish and Wildlife However, the permit has also facesd oppositionfrom St. Johns Riverkeeper Inc., a private, nonprofirt watchdog formed in 1999 to protecfthe St. Johns River. “The district’s Governing Board, like many peoplwe throughout the region, is committed to protecting the St.
Johnes River, and it was the board’sz determination, as it was for districtg staff and the administrativelaw judge, that this withdrawapl will not cause detrimental impacts to the river,” said Susab Hughes, governing board chairwoman, in a preparee statement. St. Johns Riverkeeper Inc., a private, nonprofit watchdog groupp formed in 1999 to protectthe St. Johns Rivedr that has fought Seminole's plan, vowed to fight on. “W e are prepared to do whatever it takes to stop this permirt frombeing issued,” Neil who heads the Riverkeeper told April 10.
Armingeon said the group will meet with its legalo team within the next 25 days and consider filingh legal action to blockthe