By Times Staff Writer
Published September 24, 2003
The state Department of Environmental Protection will begin an internal review of its Tampa district office this week to assess its handling of pollution issues at the Coronet Industries factory in Plant City.
In a strongly worded Aug. 13 letter, DEP Secretary David Struhs asked DEP Inspector General Pinky Hall to "make it a priority to thoroughly review how we got into the current situation at Coronet and what we might do make sure this does not happen again."
The review will include interviews with district officials and a review of Coronet records, said district spokeswoman Merritt Mitchell. It will also see if DEP regulators can better coordinate their efforts with other health and environmental agencies.
A team of government agencies is investigating whether pollution from the Coronet plant, which turns phosphate into a supplement for animal feed, is causing health problems for nearby residents. Many residents point to Coronet's history of frustrating regulators as proof that the plant could be hurting them.
