County keeps backing plant

County commissioners amend Hernando County's comprehensive plan to allow industrial uses near Brittle Road.

By SAUNDRA AMRHEIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 8, 2000

BROOKSVILLE -- Some voices were new, but the results were the same in Florida Rock Industries Inc.'s latest step toward building a new cement plant off Brittle Road.

The Hernando County Commission continued to support the effort, this time with a 3-2 vote to amend the county comprehensive plan to allow industrial uses on the 48 acres next to its mining operations north of U.S. 98. As in the past, Commissioners Pat Novy and Chris Kingsley opposed the motion.

Construction is far from a sure thing, though. Florida Rock still must get state approval for the project, and then it must return to the commission for rezoning and the appropriate permits before it could do any work at the site.

But because of the commission's action, the chance that the next steps will be denied were reduced. County Attorney Garth Coller told the commission that it would face legal risks if it changed the comprehensive plan, which he equated to a guiding principle, and then rejected a zoning request that fits within the plan.

"If we do this we're going to be held in a battle that is definitely uphill," Novy said before moving to deny the change. "This plant is not in the best interest of Hernando County."

A majority of the commission disagreed. They said the plant would not denigrate the county's air quality and the cement plant seemed compatible with the surroundings.

"I am of the opinion that this would be a very appropriate comp plan change," Commissioner Bobbi Mills said.

The proposal now goes to the state Department of Community Affairs for its final review, and if approved, will later return to the county for zoning changes, likely in two or three months.

Between audience outbursts and gavel pounding, the commission heard the testimony of four experts brought by Florida Rock who tried to allay fears about potential water and air pollution from the cement plant by saying it would not have a significant impact on the environment.

If it builds the plant, Florida Rock will participate in an air quality monitoring program by setting up five monitors for large air particles and two monitors for small air particles, said John Koogler, a consultant to the company.

Hernando has never monitored for small air particles and stopped monitoring for the larger ones in 1996, satisfied with the county's air quality.

Kingsley had questions about other pollutants, such as mercury.

"We also have to take into consideration there are four other sources in the general area," Kingsley said, referring to other cement kilns at Southdown Inc. and Florida Crushed Stone. Some speculated Florida Rock might buy Florida Crushed Stone, but Florida Rock officials said Wednesday such a sale was unlikely.

State and federal guidelines ensure protection for residents, experts said.

"The numbers (of emissions from this plant) are extraordinarily small and don't impact (the global) cycle or the local cycle" of mercury in the air, said Christopher Teaf, president and director of toxicology of Hazardous Substance & Waste Management Research Inc. in Tallahassee.

Audience members, numbering about 80 at one point, were not reassured.

Suzanne Beard, who says she lives about a mile from the site, brought her two young daughters to help testify against the cement plant.

"If we had known a cement plant would go in, we'd never have bought the property," Beard said. "We'll definitely have to sell our property or give it away."

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.