Tallahassee Sun

Wakulla County issued the following announcement on Feb. 25.

The Department of Environmental Protection (“Department”) gives notice of agency action of entering into a Consent Order with Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners pursuant to section 120.57(4), Florida Statutes. The Consent Order addresses the domestic wastewater issues at the Wakulla County Wastewater Treatment Facility. The Consent Order is available for public inspection during normal business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays, at the Department of Environmental Protection, Northwest District Office, 160 West Government St., Pensacola, Florida 32502.

Persons who are not parties to this Consent Order, but whose substantial interests are affected by it, have a right to petition for an administrative hearing under sections 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes. Because the administrative hearing process is designed to formulate final agency action, the filing of a petition concerning this Consent Order means that the Department’s final action may be different from the position it has taken in the Consent Order.

The petition for administrative hearing must contain all of the following information:

a) The OGC Number assigned to this Consent Order;

b) The name, address, and telephone number of each petitioner; the name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner’s representative, if any, which shall be the address for service purposes during the course of the proceeding;

c) An explanation of how the petitioner’s substantial interests will be affected by the Consent Order;

d) A statement of when and how the petitioner received notice of the Consent Order;

e) Either a statement of all material facts disputed by the petitioner or a statement that the petitioner does not dispute any material facts;

f) A statement of the specific facts the petitioner contends warrant reversal or modification of the Consent Order;

g) A statement of the rules or statutes the petitioner contends require reversal or modification of the Consent Order; and

h) A statement of the relief sought by the petitioner, stating precisely the action petitioner wishes the Department to take with respect to the Consent Order.

The petition must be filed (received) at the Department's Office of General Counsel, 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS# 35, Tallahassee, Florida 323993000 within 21 days of receipt of this notice. A copy of the petition must also be mailed at the time of filing to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Northwest District, 160 West Government Street, suite 308, Pensacola, Florida. Failure to file a petition within the 21-day period constitutes a person’s waiver of the right to request an administrative hearing and to participate as a party to this proceeding under sections 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes. Before the deadline for filing a petition, a person whose substantial interests are affected by this Consent Order may choose to pursue mediation as an alternative remedy under section 120.573, Florida Statutes. Choosing mediation will not adversely affect such person’s right to request an administrative hearing if mediation does not result in a settlement. Additional information about mediation is provided in section 120.573, Florida Statutes and Rule 62-110.106(12), Florida Administrative Code.

Original source can be found here.