Longboat Key Hit with Large Fine From State, For Raw Sewage Spill in June
On Tuesday (9/29/20), The State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection presented Longboat Key with a Consent Order that requires them to submit a Sewer Overflow Response Plan, provide mitigation to offset impacts and provide a corrective plan, in addition to monetary penalties, due to the June 2020 incident.
The State of Florida also presented The Town of Longboat, with two options, in terms of a penalty for the spill. The town can either spend $262,000 in fines for spilling millions of gallons of sewage, or choose an in-kind environmental enhancement project costing 1½ times more than that fine.
In June, an independent consultant said the town’s only force main sewer line on the mainland side of Sarasota Bay spilled 11 million gallons, lowered from an original estimate of nearly 26 million gallons.
Longboat Key has until October. 23rd to accept the settlement from the State, according to a letter from the FDEP sent on Tuesday (9/29/20). By signing the agreement, the State of Florida says it cannot come back and collect further damages, from Longboat Key in regards to this incident.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection may also consider the donation of environmentally sensitive land as an in-kind project, instead of the fine.
Read the Letter from the State to Longboat Key, here: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7219773-State-oF-Florida-Consent-Order-for-Town-of.html