During the 1990's the most bitterly fought battle in Alachua County was over Florida Rock Industries (FRI). When FRI began the application process, their property was part of the county.

In order for FRI to receive a Special Use Permit (SUP), they had to submit a list of the chemicals that would be released into the air and water. County staff evaluated the level of toxins and established the standard FRI would be required to meet. The county regulations were more stringent than those of the state but were completely legal. Mr. James Baker, FRI president, swore to and signed the agreement that stated FRI would abide by the county standards.

Shortly after the county commission voted to allow the SUP, FRI took it to Tallahassee and applied for required state permits **at a higher level of pollution.** Mr. Baker was quoted as saying there had been "a mistake" and that it would be "too expensive" to follow the county standards to which he had agreed.

FRI then began a campaign, saying that the county had changed the emission levels!

When the county objected and tried to enforce county regulations, Newberry decided to annex thousands of acres of land, **including the FRI property.** Once FRI was within Newberry limits, the city had responsiblity for regulating the plant.

Newberry has no environmental staff to monitor what is coming out of the smoke stacks or being put on the ground. They have hired a company from outside the area to give them quarterly summary reports. One Newberry commissioner, supposedly with an engineering background, stated on the radio that he liked the summary because he didn't understand "all those numbers."

But the county still had an agreement which James Baker had sworn to and signed, saying that FRI would allow and pay for the county monitoring. When the county asked Chris Bird, DEP, to place monitors on FRI property, he was denied access. Channel 20 was on the scene. The county has since paid for expensive monitoring equipment placed near FRI.

FRI has admitted that they were burning "foreign fuel" that was causing high levels of toxins in the smoke. Just last summer, DEP found unexpectedly high levels of toxic substances. Because their equipment is not on the FRI property, they are not able to say the cement plant is the true source of the spike in pollution.

Meanwhile, who is protecting the health and safety of the citizens?

Ellie Schwab - Feb 7, 2003