Resident urges Union County to join neighbors opposing Water for North Florida pipeline

At the March 30 Union County Board of Commissioners workshop, Carol Burton, speaking during the public-comment period, asked the board to sign a resolution opposing the Water for North Florida (WFNF) pipeline project and urged the county to join neighboring counties that have publicly opposed the project.

Burton told the board she had attended an IFAS meeting and reviewed handouts from surrounding counties; she said several counties and the city of Brantford had signed resolutions against the WFNF project and that the Suwannee River Water Management District appeared to be a project partner. She expressed concern about PFAS and other contaminants and said she wants county officials to take steps to protect local freshwater resources.

“If Union County would sign a moratorium against this, maybe we could get Columbia Suwanee and City Of Brantford and, Madison to follow us with a moratorium,” Burton said. She added she had tried to obtain technical information from local water-management staff and was frustrated that requests led her to an online system (Oculus) that she said did not provide the documentation she sought.

Commissioners agreed to put the item on a future regular meeting agenda for discussion and possible resolution language; no formal resolution or moratorium was adopted at the workshop. Staff and commissioners discussed the practical limits of county action given recent state legislative activity, and some commissioners said state-level votes may affect what the county can legally accomplish.

The board instructed staff to place the WFNF item on a regular meeting agenda so the board can consider a public statement or resolution after staff compiles background materials and any relevant agency responses.