Water samples collected from monitoring wells near Lakeland Electric’s coal ash storage area showed levels of arsenic above federal drinking water levels and lithium above groundwater protection levels, The Ledger reports. The utility said it’s taking corrective action and there’s “little to no risk to the public.”
The battle over bad smells around BS Ranch in east Lakeland continues. Polk County code enforcers filed five new notices of odor violations against the compost/soil manufacturing company this month. BS Ranch’s lawyer responds that complaints come from a small number of opponents and that other nearby operations are causing odors.
Drivers on Sikes Boulevard may soon notice construction work in the wetlands area south of the RP Funding Center.
The wetlands are slated to be cleared of invasive vegetation and three ponds built as part of a stormwater filtration system; it’s being created to reduce harmful nutrients, trash and sediments flowing into Lake Hunter, said Laurie Smith, manager of the city’s lakes and stormwater division. More
Lakeland’s first baby black-necked swan in years went missing Wednesday night, hours after being placed in a holding pen on the southern shore of Lake Morton. While the city parks director lamented, “It’s very disappointing that someone would do this,” police said they’ve found no evidence of a crime and suggested a predatory animal could be the culprit.
The city of Lakeland will continue limited spraying to control invasive plants in lakes even as a temporary moratorium halts the bulk of herbicide use in Lakeland lakes, city commissioners were told this morning. More
Migrating birds are already returning to Circle B Bar Reserve, but it will be a bit longer before nature lovers can hike the popular Alligator Alley trail beyond the gazebo on Lake Hancock. County officials say it will be about three weeks until they hear from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about whether they can restore parts of the shoreline eroded by Hurricane Irma. After the work is approved, restoration work will take at least three months, possibly longer depending on rainfall.
Residents were warned against fishing and swimming in Lake Parker today after up to 400,000 gallons of raw sewage poured into the west side of the lake near Valencia Street and Lake Parker Drive. The spill was caused when tree stump removers accidentally broke a pressurized sewage line. It will be Friday morning before the extent of damage is calculated, and city officials said they expect vegetation in the spill area to minimize long-term environmental damage.
U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich denied Drummond Corp.’s move to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Oakbridge and Grasslands homeowners alleging their property was contaminated by gamma radiation.
The owners of BS Ranch & Farm, an east Lakeland recycling facility that’s been the subject of odor complaints, can avoid court by restoring five acres of wetlands, enclosing parts of its operation and changing waste-handling procedures, state regulators said in a letter. BS Ranch’s attorney thanked them but noted that they’re not aware of similar operations in Florida with enclosed compost processing.
