LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — The state’s Agriculture Commissioner is calling out Governor Ron DeSantis, for failing to step in and stop the Department of Transportation from buying dirt from unpermitted pits in Lake County.
Nikki Fried told Investigative Reporter Karla Ray it’s “shameful” that another state agency is ignoring her authority to regulate agricultural land and protect the environment.
Fried, along with Seminole County Commissioner Lee Constantine, who serves as Chairman of the Wekiva River Basin Commission, have both asked Governor DeSantis to step in. Constantine told 9 Investigates today that the Florida Department of Transportation indicated to him that the agency is no longer buying dirt from one of the land owners, after an administrative judge ruled that Whitewater Farms did not have the permits needed to dig and haul away dirt.
Other pits are still active, though, and Fried says this is an example of the government failing its people, when agencies should be working together.
“You see a huge failure here,” Commissioner Fried said.
Fried’s staff told landowners months ago that they are not eligible for agricultural exemptions that would allow them to dig, but the Department of Transportation continued to use tax dollars to buy the dirt for the Wekiva Parkway project. According to records released by the agency, subcontractors have spent millions on the dirt over the last several months.
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The concern is the pits’ proximities to the Wekiva River, and what all the digging could mean for the area’s water flow and future farming. Fried’s office, Lake County, and the St. Johns River Water Management District have all tried to get the digging to stop, but only Governor DeSantis can instruct FDOT to eliminate the market for the dirt.
“His continued disrespect for our agency, and the residents of central Florida, it’s just so disrespectful,” Fried said. “He considers himself an environmental Governor, well this is his chance to step up and stop his agency from doing this work, but like everything else we’re seeing lately, the governor is failing to lead and take ownership, and leadership, on issues coming out of his office.”
9 Investigates reached out to the Governor’s office as well as FDOT for comment on this story, but did not hear back.
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