Below you will find materials regarding the proposal from Environmental Utilities LLC to install central sewer on the Island. PIE encourages all stakeholders to be pro-active and keep informed about this important issue.
Updated 1.17.21
TIMELINE of DISCOVERY
This is the process by which EU and the various parties involved, ask questions and request documents, then responses are provided within a specified period of time. The Parties of Record receive the actual information; however, these documents have not been posted to the docket.
Participating: Office of Public Counsel (OPC), Public Service Commission (Staff), Environmental Utilities, LLC (EU) Palm Island Estates Assn. (PIE)
TIMELINE of DISCOVERY
This is the process by which EU and the various parties involved, ask questions and request documents, then responses are provided within a specified period of time. The Parties of Record receive the actual information; however, these documents have not been posted to the docket.
Participating: Office of Public Counsel (OPC), Public Service Commission (Staff), Environmental Utilities, LLC (EU) Palm Island Estates Assn. (PIE)
|
09.28.21
OPC's 1st Set of Interrogatories and 1st Request for Production of Documents to EU 10.15.21 Staff's 1st Set of Interrogatories to EU Staff's 1st Request for Production of Documents to EU 10.18,21 PIE's 1st Set of Interrogatories to EU PIE's 1st Request for Production of Documents to EU 10.19.21 & 10.20.21 EU's 1st Set of Interrogatories to PIE EU's 1st Request for Production of Documents to PIE 10.21.21 Staff's 2nd Set of Interrogatories to EU Staff's 2nd Request for Production of Documents to EU 10.28.21 Staff's 3rd Set of Interrogatories to EU 10.29.21 EU's 2nd Set of Interrogatories to PIE EU's 2nd Request for Production of Documents to PIE 11.19.21 OPC's 2nd Set of Interrogatories to EU 11.30.21 Staff's 3rd Set of Interrogatories to EU Staff's 3rd Request for Production of Documents to EU 12.10.21 Staff's 4th Set of Interrogatories to EU Staff's 5th Set of Interrogatories to EU Staff's 6th Set of Interrogatories to EU Staff's 4th Request for Production of Documents to Eu 12.15.21 Staff's 7th Set of Interrogatories to EU Staff's 5th Request for Production of Documents to EU 12.20.21 Staff's 8th Set of Interrogatories to EU 12.21.21 Staff's 9th Set of Interrogatories to EU |
10.28.21
EU's Response to OPC's 1st Set of Interrogatories and OPC's 1st Request for Production of Documents 11.8.21 EU's Response to Staff's 1st Set of Interrogatories and Staff's 1st Request for Production of Documents 11.17.21 EU's Response to PIE's 1st Set of Interrogatories and 1st Request for Production of Documents 11.18.21 PIE's Response to EU's 1st Set of Interrogatories PIE's Response to EU's 1st Request for Production of Documents 11.09.21 EU's Response to Staff's 2nd Set of Interrogatories and Staff's 2nd Request for Production of Documents 10.29.21 EU's Response to Staff's 3rd Set of Interrogatories 12.01.21 PIE's Response to EU's 2nd Set of Interrogatories PIE's Response to EU's 2nd Request for Prod. of Documents 12.08.21 EU's Response to OPC's 2nd Set of Interrogatories 12.17.21 EU's Response to Staff's 7th Set of Interrogatories and 5th Request for Production of Documents 01.03.22 EU's Response to Staff's 4th Set of Interrogatories 01.05.22 EU's Response to Staff's 8th Set of Interrogatories 01.10.22 EU's Response to Staff's 5th Set of Interrogatories, 7th Set of Interrogatories and 4th Request for Production of Documents 01.12.22 EU's Response to Staff's 9th Set of Interrogatories, 7th Set of Interrogatories |
PSC Conference Videos
|
VIDEO: October 12th Florida Public Service Commission FPSC Commissioner Conference where item 9 on the Agenda was Docket No. 20200226-SU. The Commissioners voted on EU's Motion for Partial Summary Final Order, which was denied. [NOTE: begins at 24.44 mark]
|
VIDEO: January 5th Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) Commission Conference where item 3 on the Agenda was Docket 20200226-SU. The Commissioners voted on EU's Motion to Bifurcate and Temporary Rule Waiver, which was denied.
|
|
Archived Articles on this Website
|
Related Links and Documents
| ||||||||||||||||||
Other Resources
More information is available at the PSC website Docket # D20200226:
Docket Index - Florida Public Service Commission (floridapsc.com)
PSC Docket Filings - Florida Public Service Commission (floridapsc.com)
Charlotte County Sewer Master Plan HomePage
Sewer Master Plan | Charlotte County, FL
Charlotte County Master Plan
FrontEnd_Pages.indd (charlottecountyfl.gov)
Charlotte County Master Plan Executive Summary
ccsmp-executivesummary-8-29-17.pdf (charlottecountyfl.gov)
More information is available at the PSC website Docket # D20200226:
Docket Index - Florida Public Service Commission (floridapsc.com)
PSC Docket Filings - Florida Public Service Commission (floridapsc.com)
Charlotte County Sewer Master Plan HomePage
Sewer Master Plan | Charlotte County, FL
Charlotte County Master Plan
FrontEnd_Pages.indd (charlottecountyfl.gov)
Charlotte County Master Plan Executive Summary
ccsmp-executivesummary-8-29-17.pdf (charlottecountyfl.gov)
12.23.20
CENTRAL SEWER: Background
In October of 2016, Charlotte County hired consultants Jones Edmunds & Associates to develop a Sewer Master Plan which addressed water quality, wildlife impacts, impact on tourism, comparisons to neighboring areas, cost assessments. They then prioritized areas of concern.
Knight & Don Pedro Islands landed in the first 5 years of the 20-year utilities improvement plan. This was a result of scoring results in the following categories:
At a County Commission meeting held on 1/30/2018 regarding the Septic to Sewer (S2S) subject, there was a presentation from CCUD (Charlotte County Utilities Department) with an overview and funding requests. The Commissioners voted to appropriate funds and begin converting to sewer in 3 areas: El Jobean East, Crestview Circle, and Ellicott Circle.
These three areas alone were estimated to take three years to complete, and the projects are currently behind schedule. Both CCU and the County Commission acknowledged that the 5-, 10-, and 15-year time frames were likely too aggressive. However, they were and are still committed to keep moving forward as quickly as possible.
Palm Island Resort has its own discreet water and wastewater system, Knight Island Utilities (KIU). KIU is a privately-owned utility and were facing large expenditures to keep their system updated to regulation specs for permitting. KIU has not operated under a County permit since 2016. At the time of the release of the Sewer Master Plan, KIU was already negotiating for a bulk sewer service agreement with CCUD. According to Diane Whidden, Assistant to Commissioner Truex, in 2017 they abandoned their existing wastewater treatment facility and asked Charlotte County to provide bulk sewer treatment. This is what Charlotte County agreed to do for Environmental Utilities as well – treat the sewage once it is piped to the mainland. Charlotte County has no interest in purchasing private utilities because of the substantial upgrade costs that were incurred in their past experiences.
Fast forward to April 8th, 2019. Jefferey Jacobsen, representing the Board of KIU, came to the PIE Board with a presentation and discussion of a “special district” for an Island-wide wastewater utility. After general questions were submitted by the board and subsequently answered, at the June PIE Board meeting it was determined that PIE could not endorse moving forward with an attorney to explore creation of a utility special district. Few individuals are familiar with the special district structure, most often confusing it with an MSBU or MSTU taxing unit.
On July 14th, 2020, the Charlotte County Board of Commissioners approved a Bulk Sewer Treatment Agreement with Environmental Utilities LLC (EU), a privately-owned wastewater utility company. The owners of the company are Jack and Diane Boyer, former Knight Island residents. Jack Boyer is also owner/operator of Little Gasparilla Water Utility, Inc.
EU has submitted a preliminary application with the Public Service Commission (PSC), the regulatory agency charged with oversight of water and wastewater utilities. The first part of the certification process is providing legal notice to the stakeholders in the proposed service area. The letter of legal notice was dated December 17th, 2020 and has begun to arrive in our PO boxes and mailboxes. We now have 30 days to respond to the notice.
If you’d like to be listed as “interested persons” on the PSC's docket regarding the application for Environmental Utilities to provide wastewater services in Charlotte County, send a request to clerk@psc.state.fl.us. Reference Docket NO. 20200226-SU and include your email. This will put you on their email list to receive updates when any action is taken on EU's application. Be sure to request notification of informal meeting notices, FAW notices, all recommendations and final orders issued by the Commission.
Both individuals and organizations are entitled to file objections with the PSC to the provision of sewer service by the applicant, but they must be filed within 30 days of the receipt of notice.
CLICK HERE for a simple PRIMER on the types of sewer systems used for wastewater removal.
CLICK HERE for detailed information and Q&A with EU from the Little Gasparilla Property Owners Association.
CENTRAL SEWER: Background
In October of 2016, Charlotte County hired consultants Jones Edmunds & Associates to develop a Sewer Master Plan which addressed water quality, wildlife impacts, impact on tourism, comparisons to neighboring areas, cost assessments. They then prioritized areas of concern.
Knight & Don Pedro Islands landed in the first 5 years of the 20-year utilities improvement plan. This was a result of scoring results in the following categories:
- Proximity to water and water tables (score:5),
- Density of septics per acre (score: 5),
- Water testing in the general area (score:5)
- Age of current septic systems (score:4)
At a County Commission meeting held on 1/30/2018 regarding the Septic to Sewer (S2S) subject, there was a presentation from CCUD (Charlotte County Utilities Department) with an overview and funding requests. The Commissioners voted to appropriate funds and begin converting to sewer in 3 areas: El Jobean East, Crestview Circle, and Ellicott Circle.
These three areas alone were estimated to take three years to complete, and the projects are currently behind schedule. Both CCU and the County Commission acknowledged that the 5-, 10-, and 15-year time frames were likely too aggressive. However, they were and are still committed to keep moving forward as quickly as possible.
Palm Island Resort has its own discreet water and wastewater system, Knight Island Utilities (KIU). KIU is a privately-owned utility and were facing large expenditures to keep their system updated to regulation specs for permitting. KIU has not operated under a County permit since 2016. At the time of the release of the Sewer Master Plan, KIU was already negotiating for a bulk sewer service agreement with CCUD. According to Diane Whidden, Assistant to Commissioner Truex, in 2017 they abandoned their existing wastewater treatment facility and asked Charlotte County to provide bulk sewer treatment. This is what Charlotte County agreed to do for Environmental Utilities as well – treat the sewage once it is piped to the mainland. Charlotte County has no interest in purchasing private utilities because of the substantial upgrade costs that were incurred in their past experiences.
Fast forward to April 8th, 2019. Jefferey Jacobsen, representing the Board of KIU, came to the PIE Board with a presentation and discussion of a “special district” for an Island-wide wastewater utility. After general questions were submitted by the board and subsequently answered, at the June PIE Board meeting it was determined that PIE could not endorse moving forward with an attorney to explore creation of a utility special district. Few individuals are familiar with the special district structure, most often confusing it with an MSBU or MSTU taxing unit.
On July 14th, 2020, the Charlotte County Board of Commissioners approved a Bulk Sewer Treatment Agreement with Environmental Utilities LLC (EU), a privately-owned wastewater utility company. The owners of the company are Jack and Diane Boyer, former Knight Island residents. Jack Boyer is also owner/operator of Little Gasparilla Water Utility, Inc.
EU has submitted a preliminary application with the Public Service Commission (PSC), the regulatory agency charged with oversight of water and wastewater utilities. The first part of the certification process is providing legal notice to the stakeholders in the proposed service area. The letter of legal notice was dated December 17th, 2020 and has begun to arrive in our PO boxes and mailboxes. We now have 30 days to respond to the notice.
If you’d like to be listed as “interested persons” on the PSC's docket regarding the application for Environmental Utilities to provide wastewater services in Charlotte County, send a request to clerk@psc.state.fl.us. Reference Docket NO. 20200226-SU and include your email. This will put you on their email list to receive updates when any action is taken on EU's application. Be sure to request notification of informal meeting notices, FAW notices, all recommendations and final orders issued by the Commission.
Both individuals and organizations are entitled to file objections with the PSC to the provision of sewer service by the applicant, but they must be filed within 30 days of the receipt of notice.
CLICK HERE for a simple PRIMER on the types of sewer systems used for wastewater removal.
CLICK HERE for detailed information and Q&A with EU from the Little Gasparilla Property Owners Association.
If you would like to be listed as an “interested person” on the PSC's docket regarding the application for Environmental Utilities to provide wastewater services in Charlotte County, send a request to clerk@psc.state.fl.us. Reference Docket NO. 20200226-SU and include your email. This will put you on their email list to receive updates when any action is taken on EU's application. Identify yourself as a property owner within the proposed service area and be sure to request notification of informal meeting notices, FAW notices, all recommendations and final orders issued by the Commission.
More information is available at the PSC website Docket # D20200226:
https://www.floridapsc.com/ClerkOffice/DocketFiling?docket=20200226
https://www.floridapsc.com/ClerkOffice/DocketFiling?docket=20200226