Florida Senate Bill Fl: SB550 Deceiving Florida Residents
70Regarding Florida SB550
This article is a response to an article written in the Orlando Sentinel on April 11th 2010 regarding the destructive nature of nitrates in the waters of Florida. The Senate Bill 550 specifically addresses the Wekiva River Basin but eventually could extend through out the State of Florida.
The havoc nitrates have on the water shed of Florida have been well documented. My awareness is of Lake Apopka and the damage that was done due to agricultural run off. I can see how nitrates will accelerate plant growth in the lakes and streams especially since I see how well nitrates cause my grass to grow. I understand how the nitrates are good for my grass and bad for the environment.
But I surely disagree with Lee Constantine's approach to a solution. It is obvious from the nitrate levels quoted from various springs around Florida, with the worst level at Fanning Springs. It is also stated Fanning Springs is surrounded by agriculture I suspect a lot of nitrate run off. Farms rely upon fertilizers high in nitrates to have a productive crop. I am certain all of the parks such as Disney and Universal all use nitrates to make their parks appear as the show place they are. City and county governments use nitrates to maintain their buildings landscaping, parks and public areas. My neighbors and I use nitrates to fertilize lawns, flower beds and gardens. Nitrates make our environment very appeasing to the eye. On the other hand they destroy our springs, lakes and rivers.
Things we love are destroying our environment.
I do not know of anyone in my neighborhood including myself that pours nitrates into their sink or toilette but like myself apply over fifty pounds of fertilizer on their lawns a year or hire some one to do so. When it rains the run off with the nitrates goes into the storm drains. I do not know where this run off ends up but I do know it does not enter into my septic tank. The SB550 legislation is for people with septic tanks to replace them with a new electrically run septic system at a cost in excess of $15,000.00. These systems rely on electrical power, the result of a power outage with this system I am told is not very pleasing. What happens when a power outage occurs or a hurricane passes by. What are the health issues and damage that a power outage will cause? This legislation will create more government agencies with more government control over our lives, plus additional costs to all property owners in the State of Florida.
I understand gray water from our cities is also contaminated with high nitrates. Maybe the government should start with their own local water districts.
It is obvious the real problem is fertilizers not septic tanks. As mentioned previously Lake Apopka is a good example of the destruction caused by agricultural run off and the destructive nature of nitrates within the fertilizers used to facilitate plant growth.
The only solution I see to this problem is to control the use of nitrate products or by educating the public through articles in newspapers and television showing the public the benefits of planting plants that are native to this area and buying products not grown with the use of fertilizers. Native plants do not need the nitrates to thrive nor do they require the watering it takes for non native plants. When newspapers such as the Orlando Sentinel support politicians rather than educating consumers the nitrate problems will continue. This type of thinking only expands government doing nothing to solve the problem.
The chances of any legislation coming to light reducing the use of nitrates will not happen. It will not exist because the corporations that make them, the stores that sell them, the corporations, businesses and people that use them provide the money for our legislators to be elected.
The way I look at the Lee Constantine Bill is, if passed it will create an agency for him or one of his friends to be appointed as administrator at the expense of the citizens of the State of Florida. The focus will be on penalizing people with septic tanks to gain the revenue to support the new agency. In the meantime the problem continues to escalate.
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I am interested to see the public's reaction when ever 5 years, as the bill is written, they are required to have their VOLUNTARY that is actually INVOLUNTARY (when reconciled with 64-e) and they stroke a check for 1500$ plus.
Well Mr. Brant I think that the Senator as well as those that agree with this bill should pay for the septic tanks to be replaced or pumped. The people are struggling to provide their families with the basic needs and here comes some politician adding more debt to a already over burden public. I guess it'll certainly pass with the businesses that will profit the most from this bill backing it.
What a sad commentary may of us rural folks on the verge of bankruptcy due to the incompetence of a bunch of bungling pinheads now to be burdened with totally unreasonble demands concerning septic tanks that have never given us nor anyone else a problem.Folks we have to do something to prevent this absolute unfair blatant discrminatory bill becoming a law. SB550 must be repealed!
The septic portion of SB550 was removed from the bill until further studies can be made. But they did create a new body of government to overlook this issue. Our government's actions are a sad commentary by only looking out to fatten their budgets while helping large corporations and making it mandatory that we all be part of it.
handyman, do you have any references where it states that the septic portion was taken out? It is my understanding that this has been voted on and passed, septic tank scam included.
The first comment from Terry Brandt reflects the information I have heard from my home owners association regarding SB550. The builders association used their influence to remove the mandatory installation from the Bill until further study is completed. The EPA is the force behind this whole thing. But if the passage of this new septic system occurs after completion of the study it could and probably will affect all residents within the State of Florida. At the present time it only applies to septic tanks located in the Wekiva River Basin of which I am a resident. I became aware of this issue through my home owners organization since we would be directly affected by the passage of this Bill. But I certainly disagree that this is a good Bill helping the residents of Florida. It only lines the pockets of government officials and adds cost to taxpayers of the State of Florida.
I do not think that a Builders Assoc. can have any "say"
when the matters concern the EPA. This bill will be
forced down our throats and all the people in Florida
will have to comply with these Socialist demands. Remember these issues when it comes November.....unless
you are enjoying your "Democratic change".
Hey Drackster, As stated in the article Lee Constantine a REPUBLICAN is the driving force behind this bill.
Terry Brant, do your research. Septic systems are responsable for only 5-10% of nirtates that are making their way into the aquafier. The rest comes from agriculture, and a large part from homeowners applying fertilizer to non-native grass way above label rate.
LCB:
I plan on voteing Democrats and Liberal Republicans out of office come November...in particular those Republicans that have gone along with the Democratic
agenda..... ie. Health Care.
The question I would like to ask all these dunce hat people is. Where do they expect people to deposit their waste. I mean they can make all the laws they want, but the fact remains when a person eats there is going to be waste. Wher do they think these people are going to dispose of it? I guess we will just walk out in the woods, drop our draws and let it go. Now it will be exposed to the environment, animals and people will be able to just walk around and step into all of it. I guess that will provide more healthy conditions tho. In my opinion this stupid EPA needs to disposed of and thrown into the garbage. I mean a neighbor of mine planted a blueberry field of 1 acre. He put down a well to irrigate this field. Well the country place a meter on his well and only allocated a certain number of gallons of water per month could be pump, to save our water. Well on the other side of the road this EPA with their stupid selves let people put down a 12" well and allocated a 100,000 gallons to be pumped per day. Well if this neighbor hood pumped water like it was going out of style, there is no way we would ever pump that much water. So now you see why I say they ought to be disposed of. They are one of our worst enemies. Any elected official that side with them ought to be impeached.
OK, I get EPA concerns. I get water run off concerns. I get that there is "possibly" a small percentage of damaged septic tanks not being addressed for whatever reason. I get there will be more jobs (and tons of scams) created out of this bill. I get all the disillusioned reasons for this Bill. BUT, where & how prey tell does Tallahassee and all the brainiacs, who created this bill think, the "pumped raw sewage" of the 2 million + septic tanks going for disposal every 3-5 years ?????????
WHAT A CROCK!!!!!!!!!!
What you do not know about SB550: They will put a lien against anyone who can not pay the FEE to inspect the septic. They can CONDEMN your home if they decide your septic is not up to standards making you and your family homeless, this according to 850 488 4441 the governor bus. office where you can leave a NO I AM NOT FOR THIS BILL & according to the Dept of health who will be sending the inspectors. Also you should know that the EPA and 5 environmental groups reached a settlement on the clean air and water bill in 2009. (It had not been enforced by several States because of faulty Science) but the legislation drafted in Fl. is the SAME IN MANY STATES ACROSS OUR NATION and all coincidently was introduced at the same time and mirrors the settlement of the Fed. lawsuit which means NO REAL CHANCE OF THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA HAVING ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT WHAT THE EPA AND DEPT OF HEALTH ON A FED. LEVEL are doing with the State legislators who drafted the legislation to mirror it, NO REPEALING IT, no hope. Welcome to the new America of Obama and big government control folks! No media will cover this, but it is not hard to read the bills in all the States and the settlement wording and connect your own dots.
Senator Thad Altman
6767 North Wickham Rd., Suite 104
Melbourne, FL 32940
Subject: Senate Bill SB 550, septic tank inspection
First, we would like to thank you for your many years of service to our district.
Now to SB 550: On the eve of the 2010 elections, we request that you show Florida Senate leadership by announcing to the public that in 2011 you will lead an effort to either rescind SB550 in 2011, or at least delay its implementation by 3-5 years. SB550 is intruding on our rights as citizens of Florida to properly manage our own property including septic tanks/drain fields.
SB550 comes at a most difficult time as many people who own homes with septic tanks are feeling adverse impacts brought about by a very serious recession and housing crisis.
We also question that septic tank inspections will really solve or eliminate nutrient enrichment in our local waters. There are other very significant nutrient sources, such as lawn and agricultural fertilizers.
We have owned 3 homes over the last 45 years. All three homes have had septic tanks which we maintained ourselves at our own cost without interference by any government.
Clearly if you have ever lived in a house or residence with an inoperative septic tank/drain field you know you have a serious problem and will seek professional resolution for your home at once.
SB550 imposes a big cost (estimate, $200-$400) to Florida homeowners with septic tanks. Most of these homeowners are witness to shrinking income and cash flows owing to increased property taxes and the current recession. For example, based on the Brevard County and Melbourne Village millage rate increases, we expect a property tax increase of ~$600 this year alone. Tack on this $600 to the $400 for a septic tank inspection, and we will see a whopping $1000 as an unexpected cost to us for 2011.
Although one of us receives a small adjunct faculty salary for part-time teaching, we are retired and thus our income is fixed; we can't bare these additional governmental costs. And, we are very concerned that Florida state and county governmental costs and intrusions are on the increase.
It's a squeeze play! Every line item in our budget is showing increased demands, i.e.; taxes, insurances, utilities, licensing of our vehicle, etc . Employers in the county are cutting back on their expenditures including reducing salaries and Cost-of-Living increase in paychecks, and Social Security recipients are not receiving a COLA for next year.
In short we are very concerned that our local governments and state legislature are not tuned into the economic realities their citizens are facing.
Senator Altman, you are a Republican, the political party of the people. Yet, your vote to approve SB500 defies the normal tradition of the GOP to keep government out of the public's wallet as much as possible.
Again, we request that you take steps to either rescind SB550, or at least delay its implementation until employers increase salaries, COLAs are returned, and the current economic woes are on an upturn.
In your reply, please also send us: (1) a complete copy of SB550; (2) the final approved statute; (3) the septic tank inspection implementation schedule; and (4) the plan that the Florida government, or its contractor, will use to scientifically assess the outcome of the septic tank inspection program.
Sincerely,
I will say I am not in favor of this bill, simply put the department of health has written the rules that are way to far overboard. It will not only cost the homeowners money, but certified septic contractors who have been doing this for years must under go additional certifications to provide services.
Yes we do need some type of regulation for septic system owners as many dont take care of there system(approx. 90%) until it is already backing up into there home, where an inspection system could have saved them the back up problem. But as the rules are written it will be one(honest or dishonest or under qualified contractors word against another)contractors word wether your system is compliant or not, and if your system is working but seems to be closer than the required wet season water table setback your system will have to be "repaired" or "modified" depending on the outcome of the inspection.
This bill is not only for the wekiva basin area it is for the entire state which we have seen problems with growth in all the springs throughout Florida, which by studies have concluded that "nitrates" are the responsible factor for this. the problem is many people see septic systems as dirty systems, an independant study shows septic systems may contribute 6%-10% of this, but many people push to say we want municiple sewerage systems (sewers) which contribute a much larger amount of nitrate pollution to the water shed areas. If homeowners actually took care of there systems on a more periodical schedule the percentage from septic systems would probably decrease. the Wekiva Basin act has been tabled pending some studies, but an important fact was that an engineering firm hired by the State of Florida Department of Health concluded that management of the nitrates as it relates to septic systems could be as simple as maintaining your septic system on a regular basis, and to further not put any more nitrates any "new" or modifided system should meet a performance base standard which is where the "electrically" system comes into play, but there is a study on passive nitrogen removal which is being conducted at UCF which could allow a non-electrical inexpensive system to be installed.
Again I am not in supprt of this bill but do suggest that we look at the data, and yes Lee Constantine was behind alot of this bill and others, but he is now termed out, so we suspect he will be at FDEP trying to make septic system owners life hell, and may even be trying to push the department to be under control of FDEP, which if that happens I will close my doors as those people have no clue what they are doing.
My husband and I are both now retired and having to survice on limited income. I personally lost all my retirement monies when Lehman Bros. Investment Bank went under, now, a state that I have loved since the mid 60's is trying to 'stick it to me financially.' This is absolutely revolting. It is time the people stand up and recall their elected officials. If the politicians have not noticed, the USA is in the midst of a serious recession, if not a mild depression, and now you are attempting to destroy many families. Shame on you!!!
it is recommended that a septic tank be pumped out every 3-5 years..so whats all the commotion about?..its only the cheap mizers who never get their tanks pumped out and whos homes smell like a dumpster that are the ones complaining..but when they call a septic co. to come out and pump their tank and we notify them of a failing drainfield that they need to replace but still wont spend the money..and besides people on sewer spend $800.00 a year.
Here is a paragraph on the current status of this Bill the entire article is available at Florida Realtors.
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/artic
Fla. – Nov. 17, 2010 – The Florida Legislature approved a six-month delay in the implementation of a septic tank inspection rule, SB 2-A, that riled several Panhandle lawmakers. The extension increases the likelihood that the Legislature will repeal the rule altogether during the 2011 regular session this spring.
Just in case you do not pay attention. The Fed. EPA&Dept. of health HELPED DRAFT with the State Dept. of Health and legislature elected the SB550. You can call the dept of health and get it straight from the directors mouth. The fed. lawsuit from the environmental groups settled by the Fed. EPA MIRRORS the law! Let's break it down for the stupid folks, all across our nation the Fed. EPA/dept of health went in and worked with State elected to force legislation to take over your water/property rights. IT WAS NOT JUST FL. they did it in. In fact the director for the dept of health admitted that they took the words EPA out of the legislation after the "team"worked on the bill! He also admitted that the bill gives the gov. the right to FORCE an inspection fee and FORCE and order to condemn your right to live in your home if the septic is not up to CURRENT CODE, which everyone knows changes! Also admitted was the cost to push all new electric septic systems. Everyone must maintain their septic or it does not work, everyone knew if they sold or bought it had to have current upgrades, this is plain and simple gov. control and greed. if it is not, why would the fed. gov. being directing the State gov. on how to write their laws to mirror the Fed. settlement based on faulty science numbers from the original clean air and water act which everyone now admits had faulty science? but hey those pesky facts have little to do with the march of no citizens rights and big gov. take over correct? wake up, do your own homework, use your own brain, make up your own mind. stop being afraid to call and talk to your own elected and gov. officials and blindly believing the non journalists who lead you by your nose offering no facts but opinions. PEACEFULLY stop stand up and stop being afraid to ask questions, then express yourself and say what your peacefully opinion is!
Terry Brant 2 years ago
Senate Bill 550 sponsored by Sen. Lee Constantine comfortably passed both legislative houses, but only after significant modification and loss of the Springs Act language that could have offered help to our endangered springs. The largest polluters and homebuilders association pledged to kill the bill entirely if these provisions had not been removed. Nevertheless, the bill retains several very good provisions including 5 year septic tank inspections, which can help to stop a major source of nitrogen and coliform bacteria pollution of our springs.
Other meaningful provisions are in the bill, including restoration of water management district governing board authority over consumptive use permits. All authority over permit applications had been given to one man in each district, the executive director, in the last session, and this highly questionable arrangement of giving all power to grant water permits has been reversed.
Also recognition of Alternative Water Sources and funding has been recognized and this is very important to retaining local control and protection of natural water resources.
On balance, Senate Bill 550 is a good bill that survived the legislative process primarily because of the diligence and persistence of Sen Constantine. It advances protection of our fragile environment and hopefully the governor will sign the bill into law.
Terry Brant, President
American Health Trust, Inc.