Friday, June 05, 2009

Letter From Judith Seraphin to City of St. Augustine on Environmental Racism and Maria Sanchez Lake Spill


Dear Ms. DuPont:
1. The warnings were inadequate.
2. The St. Augustine Record newspaper was never notified -- News editor Pete Ellis did not know about it until Ed Slavin told him about the National Response Center report.
3. I never saw any no fishing/no swimming sign at the south end.
4. I saw people fishing in Maria Sanchez Lake on Memorial Day.
5. No sign was observed at the north end until the day after Memorial Day.
6. I don't consider more than 1875 gallons a slight spill -- that's the amount that FDEP reports COSA disclosed.
7. The Times-Union's environmental reporter says that whenever JEA has a sewagespill, it posts notices on people's doorknobs and covers the entire waterway adjoining the spill. This is the standard of care.
8. Ed Slavin told John Regan to do just that -- Regan refused. COSA is reckless about its environmental crimes.
9. This is Environmental Racism, once again.
10. Lincolnville is getting the shaft from our City government, once again.
Sincerely yours,
Judith

-----Original Message-----
From: CATHY DUPONT [mailto:CDUPONT@ci.st-augustine.fl.us]
Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 3:32 PM
To: judith@globalwrap.com
Cc: George Lomax; JOHN REGAN; PAUL WILLIAMSON; Scott Graham
Subject: Maria Sanchez Lake

Hello Judy:

Sorry that it's taken this week to answer your question regarding the Maria Sanchez Lake incident of May 21st.

Due to the intense rainfall that St. Augustine received during that time, the underground sewage lines were over capacity at the north end of Maria Sanchez Lake. This 'overload' caused a slight leakage of the manhole and the City posted a sign letting the public know that the lake had been affected by waste water.

Since you live nearby, I'm sure you've noticed the permanently posted No Fishing/No Swimming signs at both the north and south ends of the lake. With that said, the City of St. Augustine felt that posting a limited number of signs was sufficient. As you probably know, the signs have now be removed.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Cathy D.





Cathy DuPont
Public Information Coordinator
Dept. of Public Affairs
City of St. Augustine
P. O. Box 210
St. Augustine, FL 32085/0210
904.825.1053

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