STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE PERMIT

The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) gives notice of its intent to issue a permit to Hillsborough County Public Utilities Department, Chris Jones, 925 East Twiggs Street, Tampa, Florida 33602 to aggregate existing, shared reuse and disposal systems of three wastewater treatment facilities that are operated by Hillsborough County Public Utilities Department; South County Regional AWWTF (FL0028061), Falkenburg AWWTF (FL0040614) and Valrico AWWTF (FL0040983). The permit authorizes the facilities to discharge to an existing, Part III slow-rate public access master reuse system which land applies reclaimed water up to 25.4 million gallons per day (MGD) annual average daily flow (AADF), serving the general service areas of the South County Regional AWWTF (FL0028061), the Falkenburg AWWTF (FL0040614) and the Valrico AWWTF (FL0040983). The permit also allows for discharge of up to 10.0 MGD of effluent to Port Redwing Canal/Hillsborough Bay (WBID# 1693), Class III Marine waters, and intermittent discharge from stormwater storage ponds to Alafia River and Cypress Creek. This permit also authorizes disposal of 4.0 MGD of reclaimed water at an industrial user and injection of 29.5 MGD of effluent for operational testing to Class V underground injection wells. The facility is located at 6131 Covington Gardens Drive, Apollo Beach, Florida 33572 in Hillsborough County. The Department has assigned permit file number FL0A00101-001-DW1R/NR to the proposed project.

The intent to issue and application file are available for public inspection during normal business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays, at the Department’s Southwest District Office, 13051 N Telecom Pkwy, Suite 101, Temple Terrace, Florida 33637-0926, at phone number (813)470-5700 or email to PublicRecordsRequests_Regulatory@FloridaDEP.gov

NOTICE OF RIGHTS

The Department will issue the permit unless a petition for an administrative hearing is timely filed under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S., before the deadline for filing a petition. On the filing of a timely and sufficient petition, this action will not be final and effective until further order of the Department. Because the administrative hearing process is designed to formulate final agency action, the hearing process may result in a modification of the agency action or even denial of the application.

Petition for Administrative Hearing
A person whose substantial interests are affected by the Department’s action may petition for an administrative proceeding (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S. Pursuant to Rules 28-106.201 and 28-106.301, F.A.C., a petition for an administrative hearing must contain the following information:
(a) The name and address of each agency affected and each agency’s file or identification number, if known;
(b) The name, address, any e-mail address, any facsimile number, and telephone number of the petitioner, if the petitioner is not represented by an attorney or a qualified representative; the name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner’s representative, if any, which shall be the address for service purposes during the course of the proceeding; and an explanation of how the petitioner’s substantial interests will be affected by the agency determination;
(c) A statement of when and how the petitioner received notice of the Department’s agency decision;
(d) A statement of all disputed issues of material fact. If there are none, the petition must so indicate;
(e) A concise statement of the ultimate facts alleged, including the specific facts that the petitioner contends warrant reversal or modification of the agency’s proposed action;
(f) A statement of the specific rules or statutes the petitioner contends require reversal or modification of the agency’s proposed action, including an explanation of how the alleged facts relate to the specific rules or statutes; and
(g) A statement of the relief sought by the petitioner, stating precisely the action that the petitioner wishes the agency to take with respect to the agency’s proposed action.
The petition must be filed (received by the Clerk) in the Office of General Counsel of the Department at 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000, or via electronic correspondence at Agency_Clerk@FloridaDEP.gov. Also, a copy of the petition shall be mailed to the applicant at the address indicated above at the time of filing.

Time Period for Filing a Petition
Petitions filed by any persons other than the applicant, and other than those entitled to written notice under Section 120.60(3), F.S., must be filed within 14 days of publication of the notice or within 14 days of receipt of the written notice, whichever occurs first. The failure to file a petition within the appropriate time period shall constitute a waiver of that person’s right to request an administrative determination (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S., or to intervene in this proceeding and participate as a party to it. Any subsequent intervention (in a proceeding initiated by another party) will be only at the discretion of the presiding officer upon the filing of a motion in compliance with Rule 28-106.205, F.A.C.

Extension of Time
Under Rule 62-110.106(4), F.A.C., a person whose substantial interests are affected by the Department’s action may also request an extension of time to file a petition for an administrative hearing. The Department may, for good cause shown, grant the request for an extension of time. Requests for extension of time must be filed with the Office of General Counsel of the Department at 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000, or via electronic correspondence at Agency_Clerk@FloridaDEP.gov, before the deadline for filing a petition for an administrative hearing. A timely request for extension of time shall toll the running of the time period for filing a petition until the request is acted upon.

Mediation
Mediation is not available in this proceeding.
11/08/2026 110601