Fenholloway

[BAD BEHAVIOR]

The fishing from Rose creek to Spring Warrior is horrible and I heard you cant even eat the fish. Id stay away from there if I were ya'll. Especially if you like anchoring in the channel of the Econfina!! I also heard a guy was scalloping down there and the next day his PP fell off. Id stay over around St Marks to scallop if I were ya'll!!! Oh yea the girl who was scalloping with him was at the dock wearing a tank top, knee length cutoffs ,Sopchoppy nikes,and three teeth(in her pocket). I think either the water or the Sopchoppy nikes had gotten to her!!

[Dan Simmons]

A Buckeye employee who is a saltwater fisherman referred me to this site. This is my first post.

My name is Dan Simmons. I am the public affairs manager for the Buckeye plant in Perry. I appreciate the concerns expressed on this site about Buckeye's impact on the Fenholloway. Also, I appreciate this opportunity to give another viewpoint about river issues.

There have been significant environmental improvements within the Buckeye plant in recent years. These plant improvements have resulted in improved river and gulf water quality. Still, there is more to be done to meet all class 3 (fishable and swimmable) standards within the Fenholloway.

Members of this site are invited to visit our plant and see first-hand what has been done - and what is being proposed - to make the Fenholloway fishable and swimmable. Specifically, you are invited to join me for a briefing/tour of the plant and river Wednesday, August 29 at 9:00 AM.

In recent years. hundreds of visitors have toured our plant - canoeists and other outdoor enthusiasts, university professors and their students, community residents, Garden Club members, and journalists. Certainly not all visitors go away agreeing with our plan of work, but all leave with a better understanding of our commitment to environmental improvement.

Please call me at 850-584-1275 if you are interested in participating in a tour August 29. I can accommodate 12 people per tour. If there is additional interest - or if anyone can not make the August 29 date - I will be glad to schedule a second tour date.

It is important to Buckeye that you know about the company's actions and intentions. I look forward to meeting each of you, showing you our operation, introducing you to our environmental engineers, and answering your questions.

[BAD BEHAVIOR]

Way to step up to the plate there Dan. I applaud you and your company's head on approach to the problem @ hand. No better way to address a problem than heads up. Again, way to go and appreciate your efforts to keep the avid anglers of the area who cherish the waters and all they offer in the loop!!!! By the way Dan, my previous post was very phececious. I tend to shoot the bull with the guys here alot !! If the fish there were harmful, Id of been dead along time ago!!

[CairoTrout]

BB said his PP fell off.

[tin can]

Thank you, Mr. Simmons, for coming forward and addressing this concern with our forum members. We couldn't ask for any more than you have offered.

[Fisherman989]

I used to fish the Fenholloway when I was a kid. It was pristine and the fishing was fantastic....like all the rivers in the vicinity. I fished all around it back in the 70's and 80's.... when the landing was open...and it was very good out on the oyster bars in front of the river...and on the flats too. But...the river was dead. Still is thanks to Buckeye.

[Littoral]

The original post said there's a meeting scheduled and encouraged people concerned with pollution on the Fenholloway to attend. I'd recommend that anyone concerned about the negative economic impact of increased regulations should be encouraged to attend as well. I'd also recommend that anyone interested in the potential for positive economic impact of increased regulations should also attend.
The post didn't include any credible information in terms of research about the issue. I would expect that's what the meeting is for.

[PerryFisherMan]

The original post contained misinformation. This isn’t privileged information; this issue has been in the newspaper, so it’s not clear where the original post came from. The meeting has nothing to do with the Fenholloway. The UofF was looking for a site at which they could have a small research lab where they could develop/research a process to make ethanol from a plant source - either wood chips or sugar cane – “Green Energyâ€

[birddog]

Thanks for clearing that up PFM.

[Littoral]

PFM, thanks for the additional info. It's always difficult and usually impossible to get the whole story. Fly-by posts are usually about advertising an agenda. Forums are often the least informed media source with sound bite radio & TV not much better.

[Dan Simmons]

I want to report back to forum members the status of the invitation to tour Buckeye and the Fenholloway River.

I have not received confirmation that anyone will be able to participate Wednesday, August 29. That date was somewhat arbitrary - chosen mostly because it was sooner rather than later.

If I do not get a tour request by tomorrow (Friday) noon, I plan to release the plant guides and boat captains and to postpone the proposed August 29 tour/briefing. As mentioned, we can accomodate up to 12 people per tour, but we will conduct the tour for one.

You do not have to be a "Buckeye supporter" to visit our plant. We cheerfully give tours to people who disagree with us. As a company, we learn from meeting people with different views.

The proposed Fenholloway plan of work, in summary, is to: improve the quality of Buckeye's treated wastewater; improve Fenholloway water quality; and improve Gulf water quality. All water quality improves - there is no backsliding.

Buckeye will not agree to any plan of work that creates new environmental problems for the company or our neighbors. This may not be what you have read in the popular press, but this is what has been agreed upon by Buckeye, EPA, and the FDEP.

Anytime anyone has a question about our operation, you are encouraged to contact me:

work - 850-584-1275
home - 850-584-8147
email - dan_simmons@bkitech.com
mail - One Buckeye Drive, Perry, FL 32348

If you would like to visit but August 29 won't work, contact me and we'll select a different date.

Thank you for allowing me to comment on this forum. - Dan Simmons

[lindayoung]

Hi everyone - I've just joined up and was reading through some of the topics when I saw the ones about Buckeye. Most of you folks know more about the conditions near the Fenholloway than I do, but I happen to know a good bit about Buckeye's mill, their pollution and their plans for a pipe.

I can see some of you don't think too highly of environmentalists and I can say there are some I don't think to highly of either, however I am the director of an environmental organization called the Clean Water Network of Florida. We try to protect our waters from pollution and have a pretty good track record of being successful in our efforts. We have been working on the Buckeye problem for about 15 years. I'm sorry to say that not much progress has been made with this mill over all these years.

In 2001 we initiated a joint project between my organization, the DEP, the EPA and Buckeye to try to find solutions to Buckeye's problems. After 3 years we came up with several solutions that would greatly improve the situation and would cost no more than a pipe to the Gulf. Buckeye just flat refused to consider these technology solutions. They just want to build a pipe and that's all they will consider doing. Unfortunately the state and federal agencies just lay down and take whatever Buckeye wants to offers.

Before you get convinced by Dan Simmons' good ol'boy sweet talk, please go to my website and get some facts. The permit that Buckeye is seeking right now for a pipe to the mouth of the Fenholloway will allow the following conditions:

1. a permanent dead zone where the chronic toxicity levels will allow little or no life to exist. This area will be 125,000 square meters in size.

2. Dissolved oxygen levels as low as 1 or 2 miligrams per liter for many months of the year.

3. Tons of dioxin-contaminated solids will be dumped from the pipe every day and will accumulate at the mouth of the river, until a storm comes along and picks them up and dumps them elsewhere nearby, like on the scallop beds or someone's beach.

My organization is leading the challenge against the permit and anyone on this site (or anyone you know) who would be willing to either testify in court or sign an affidavit about the pollution you have witnessed would be greatly appreciated. my website address is: http://www.cleanwaternetwork-fl.org

thanks for reading and for your interest. linda

[MudDucker]

I can see some of you don't think too highly of environmentalists and I can say there are some I don't think to highly of either, however I am the director of an environmental organization called the Clean Water Network of Florida. We try to protect our waters from pollution and have a pretty good track record of being successful in our efforts. We have been working on the Buckeye problem for about 15 years. I'm sorry to say that not much progress has been made with this mill over all these years.

Too many so called "environmentalists" have a bad habit of exaggeration. I am not saying you are Linda, because I don't know you. I will look at your website.

What most so called "environmentalists" fail to recognize is that we fishermen and hunters are the real "environmentalists". We live in it and pay a ton of fees that go to preserve most of it while so called "environmentalists" strut and cluck but pay or do little or nothing for the cause. Then we are faced with so called "environmentalists" who desire to deny us access to hunt or fish on the very lands our fees paid for.

As my momma used to say, if you want a friend, you better be a friend

[Dubble Trubble]

Just plain old common sense tells me the pipe would be a bad idea. At least a lot of the toxins would filter out in th river in Buckeyes neck of the woods. Much better than dumping them raw in the gulf.

I consider myself an environmentalist of some kind, as I pick up my own trash, not throw it out on the highway. I keep land open for wildlife that does not have to worry about being hunted. But I also have nothing against hunting, as long as it is for food. I really do not care much for the guy who goes to Africa just to get a "Head".

But I also realize we can not live without polluting in some form. (Remember those beans you ate last night? BAD for the ozone layer )

And ask one of those radical tree huggers to give up their car and walk everywhere.... Um Hmmm, you get the idea.....

There are 2 sides to every story, and it seems that not even one person has taken Buckeye up on their tour offer, so I can assume there is a lot of talk and no action on someones part.

I will tell you one thing common sense also tells me. If we do not take care of mother nature in a reasonable manner, mother nature WILL take care of us....so don't worry. it will all work out in the end one way or the other.

Yall have fun


Dubble

[What a mess]

I used to fish the river in clyatville ga. above where the mills pipe came out we always caught plenty of fish. For miles below where they ran effluent into the river nothing for a few miles.

A buddy that worked in the lab said that stuff was clean enough to drink right out of the pipe. I agreed he was right and said drink an eight oz glass per day for twenty years and then we'll talk about it. I can't remember what he wanted me to cram but I know where he wanted to shove it.

I also know that a much higher # of people than normal at the mill and in clyatville have had or have died of cancer.

I am a lot of their ins. man for medicare supplements.