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Blasting advisory board says local complaints undercounted; pushes Miami Lakes app and renewed state push
Summary
The Blasting Advisory Board reported residents continue to feel blast impacts from White Rock and CEMEX quarries and urged neighbors to file official complaints through state channels; the board plans a marketing push using the Miami Lakes Connect app and seeks renewed legislation next session.
Miguel Martinez, a representative of the Blasting Advisory Board, told the committee that local blasting complaints appear underreported in state records and that residents continue to experience strong blasts. "I see it personally as a problem...the problem is getting worse," Martinez said during the quarterly meeting.
Board members said two area quarries — White Rock and CEMEX — generate the largest complaints. Martinez discussed a technical measure cited by state guidance: a 0.5 peak particle velocity (PPV) threshold and the way the state applies limits relative to the urban development boundary (UDB). The board said some operations appear to be located outside the UDB and therefore not subject to stricter limits as interpreted by state officials.
The board urged residents to file complaints through the state portal and said Miami Lakes will promote a reporting link available in the Miami Lakes Connect app that directs users to the official state complaint page. "The link that is on the Miami Lakes Connect app takes you directly to the state's...page where you submit your complaint," a town speaker clarified.
The advisory group also said it will launch a new marketing campaign to raise awareness of complaint procedures and is preparing to press state lawmakers again next session. The board referenced State Representative Tom Fabrizio and said the representative will resubmit a bill in the next legislative session; they also noted the speaker of the Florida House has expressed disagreement with the issue, which the board expects to be a focus of outreach.
The committee flagged community channels where residents have been posting and sharing reports, including a Facebook page titled "Blasting Victims Seeking Justice" and neighborhood networks. The Blasting Advisory Board asked the town and council members to share official complaint links broadly so the number of formal complaints better reflects residents' experience.
Board members said they will pursue both local outreach and renewed legislative action while continuing to collect and share state data compiled by a new board member, Edwin Orr, an engineer who analyzed complaint trends.
