Friday, January 18, 2008

Report: Nothing criminal in illegal dumping

Report: Nothing criminal in illegal dumping



KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 01/16/08


An investigation released Tuesday upholds the Florida Department of Enviornmental Protection's finding that the city did nothing criminal in its illegal dumping of landfill material.

DEP's office of Inspector General investigated the issue after receiving a call from Ed Slavin, an activist who said Environmental Protection did not do a thorough job on the case.

The Inspector General's Office submitted a report stating "(DEP) ... followed their adopted case criteria and acted within the boundaries of their powers of discretion when they elected to close their investigation into the City of St. Augustine. ..."

The city was fined by DEP and investigated for removing dirt from an inactive landfill along the San Sebastian River to regrow the marsh and redevelop wetlands. The contaminated dirt was dumped in a borrow pit on Holmes Boulevard.

The city entered an agreement with Environmental Protection to fix the issue, but residents were against the plan and filed a petition.


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