Lower St. Johns Main Stem Committee

Meeting Information

The Lower St. Johns BMAP Committee meets annually to discuss progress and plans for moving forward. The next meeting will be held Thursday, November 2, 2023 at 2:00 PM via GoToWebinar To register for the meeting, please use this link.

As always, the Lower St. Johns BMAP Committee meeting will be a public meeting and anyone is welcome to attend. For further information, please contact the committee facilitator, Tiffany Busby, at TLBusby@wildwoodconsulting.net or call 904-797-2721.

Lower St. Johns River Main Stem BMAP

The LSJR Main Stem BMAP identifies the management strategies necessary to achieve the nutrient TMDLs for the main stem of the river from the confluence of the Ocklawaha River north to the mouth of the river. The Final Order has been assigned OGC Case No. 08-2428.

TMDL Goals

• Provides information dissemination and exchange among stakeholder groups.
• Secures stakeholder participation in the detailed allocation and implementation stages of the TMDL process, bringing in diverse expertise and perspectives.
• Provides a forum to assemble stakeholder allocation agreements and forge consensus on an implementation plan.
• Improves linkages between TMDL implementation and growth management decisions of local governments.

Committee Seats & Members

• Industry: Mr. Lake Ray III, President, First Coast Manufacturers Association
• Agriculture: Mr. Ben Wells, Chair, North Florida Growers Exchange
• Builders: Mr. Drew Holley, P.E., Executive Vice President, ETM
• Utility Authorities: Mr. Wayne Young, Vice President, Environmental Services, JEA
• Environmental Interest: Mr. Chris Ferrell, Northeast Policy Advocate, Audubon Florida
• Environmental Interest: Dr. Gerry Pinto, Associate Research Scientist, Jacksonville University
• Regional Planning Councils: Ms. Elizabeth Payne, Chief Executive Officer, Northeast Florida Regional Council
• Local Government: Mr. Jeremy Johnston, Executive Director, Clay County Utility Authority
• Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services: Mr. J.P. Fraites, Assistant Director, Office of Agricultural Water Policy
• MSW - Public Works: Mr. Steve Long, P.E., Public Works Department, City of Jacksonville
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection: Mr. Gregory Strong, Northeast District Director (Committee Chair)
• St. Johns River Water Management District: Mr. Mike Register, Executive Director, St. Johns River Water Management District
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Mr. Eric Summa, Chief, Planning and Environmental Policy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District
• Local Government Utilities: Mr. Steve Swann, P.E., City Engineer, City of Atlantic Beach
• Military: Ms. Mary Beth E. Oxendine, P.E., Air & Water Section Head, U.S. Navy
• Local Government/MS4: TBD
• Ex Officio/Middle Basin: Ms. Tara McCue, AICP, Executive Director, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council
• Ex Officio/Middle Basin: Mr. Aaron Watkins, Central District Director, Florida Department of Environmental Protection

General Committee Characteristics:

• The committee was appointed in 2002 by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)-Northeast District Director Ernie Frey and continues to meet regularly, now that the allocations are being implemented. The type and number of seats was adjusted slightly (increased) during the process, but the overall distribution of representation by various entities has remained consistent. The most difficulties have been to maintain active participation by the two environmental interest seats as well as to achieve good communications back and forth with agricultural interests through an individual representative.
• The committee has seats that represent a larger number of individual stakeholders because the total number of affected entities was too large to have each entity on the committee.
• The current DEP-Northeast District Director Greg Strong handles appointments if personnel changes occur or committee members become inactive.
• The committee notes, procedures, archives, and administration are handled by an independent facilitator (Tiffany Busby) under contract with DEP.

For more information about the committee, please contact Tiffany Busby at 904-797-2721 or email TLBusby@wildwoodconsulting.net