Public Meeting - Mosaic New Wales Facility

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Phosphate Management Program, announces an open house public meeting to which all persons are invited. During this open house public meeting, representatives of both the department and the applicant will be available to answer questions and provide information about the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) draft wastewater permit revision (PA File No. FL0036421-022-IW1S/RA) for the Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC – New Wales Concentrates Plant (the facility), located at 3095 County Road 640 West, Mulberry, FL 33860 in Polk County.

This draft permit revision would authorize an expansion of the facility's lined South phosphogypsum stack (South Gypstack) following extensive subsurface exploration work that was reviewed by the department, including the state geologist and other department engineering and geology professionals, and includes provisions for ground stabilization, enhanced groundwater monitoring and ongoing subsurface monitoring.

DATE AND TIME: Aug. 25, 2021, 4–7 p.m. (EST).

PLACE: RP Funding Center (formerly the Lakeland Civic Center), Hollingsworth Ballroom, 701 W Lime St., Lakeland, FL 33815.

PURPOSE: To receive public comments on the above referenced NPDES draft wastewater permit revision for the Mosaic New Wales Concentrates Plant, which is a phosphate fertilizer manufacturing facility and associated phosphogypsum stack system. Rule 62-620.555, Fla. Admin. Code, provides an opportunity for an extended public comment period and a public meeting whenever a significant degree of public interest is expressed in a draft wastewater permit. The Department gave notice of its preparation of a draft wastewater permit revision to Mosaic on May 14, 2021, and a Notice of Draft Permit was published in The Lakeland Ledger on May 19, 2021.

A COPY OF THE MEETING AGENDA MAY BE OBTAINED BY CONTACTING: Amaury Betancourt, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Phosphate Management Program by U.S. Mail, 13051 N Telecom Parkway, Suite 101, Temple Terrace, FL 33637-0926; by phone: 813-470-5913 or by email at DWRMIW.PM@FloridaDEP.gov.

• Agenda, permit renewal application and related information

Persons wishing to provide written public comments should provide a copy of the comments by email to Amaury Betancourt at DWRMIW.PM@FloridaDEP.gov, or to the department during the public meeting. Those wishing to enter oral comment into the record at the public meeting will be able to do so on an individual basis at an oral comment station. All oral or written public comments should be provided to the department prior to the conclusion of the meeting on the subject permit renewal application.

Oral or written public comments at the public meeting should contain the following information: (a) The commenter's name, address, and telephone number; the applicant's name and address; the department permit file number; and the county in which the project is proposed; (b) A statement of how and when notice of the department's action or proposed action was received; (c) A statement of the facts the department should consider in making the final decision; and (d) A statement of which rules or statutes require reversal or modification of the department's action or proposed action. Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 48 hours before the meeting by contacting Amaury Betancourt as listed above.

If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).