SJRWMD Board of Governors to decide St. Johns' fate

Special Board meeting scheduled for April 13

PALATKA, Fla., Jan. 30, 2009 - The St. Johns River Water Management District has scheduled a special public Governing Board meeting for April 13 to consider the recommended order in the pending case that challenged the District's proposed issuance of a permit to Seminole County to withdraw surface water from the St. Johns River for public supply and reclaimed water supply augmentation.

The meeting will be held at 1 p.m. at District headquarters, 4049 Reid St., Palatka. The District's goal in scheduling the special meeting is to accommodate members of the public interested in attending.

Prior to issuing a final order at this meeting, the Board will consider the administrative law judge's recommended order, subsequent comments submitted by the involved parties and oral arguments by the parties.

At the special meeting, the involved parties will have an opportunity to address the Board directly, and members of the public who have not been involved in the hearing process also will be given an opportunity to address the Board.

The Board was originally scheduled to consider Seminole County's permit application in March 2008. Because of petitions objecting to the District staff recommendation for approval of the county-owned water utility's application to withdraw 5.5 million gallons of water per day (on an average annual basis) from the river, the issue went through a state administrative hearing process.