Act now to defend Wakulla Springs from gasoline pollution | Opinion
There’s only one Wakulla Springs. It’s where hopeful herds of manatees visit warmer waters; where families like mine and yours spend precious moments together; where fathers like me teach their children to enjoy the outdoors and be stewards of our environment.
Earlier this month, cave divers made an incredible discovery, establishing the link between two huge cave systems in Wakulla and Leon counties. At this connection between the Chip’s Hole Cave System and the Wakulla Cave System, there is a shallow underground river and a tall vertical chamber, described as a “waterfall.” Divers recalled a “stillness” and compared the caves to “cathedral-like rooms” with ceilings of more than 100 feet tall.
Unfortunately, Wakulla Springs has been under threat for a long time, whether from septic tanks, runoff, or other sources of pollution. With each threat to our water, we are faced with a choice: act or fail in our responsibility to provide long-term plans for protecting this resource.
As a podcast host, I’ve talked to folks across the state about water conservation and the difficulty of restoring Florida’s once pristine and functional ecosystems. Both down south in the Everglades and here in my backyard, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It doesn’t take a scientist to see that polluting our water is a bad idea.
Right now, thanks to the discovery of the cave connections, we have the unique chance to prevent pollution in Wakulla Springs and the intricate caves that complete it.
Nearly a year ago, Southwest Georgia Oil Company proposed a 16-pump SunStop gas station and car wash on a parcel that sits 100 feet above Chip’s Hole Cave System. After much public opposition, the company pulled its requests for Comprehensive Plan amendments and rezoning. However, they still own the parcel, and locals like me expect them to try again.
But just like last year, we won’t give up the fight to protect our springs.
One way to defend our cave systems from gas leaks and other harmful chemicals is with local action. Wakulla Board of County Commissioners’ staff have floated the idea of creating a county ordinance that may help prevent pollution. But to truly protect our springs, these local rules must be strong. County Commissioners should require gas facilities to be located at least 2,500 feet away from our fragile caves, consistent with the federal springhead protection guidelines.
Underground oil spills spread quickly over a large area, rapidly infecting the surrounding soil and water. And chemicals from car wash facilities can contaminate our groundwater, hurt plants and animals, pollute our air, and otherwise harm human health. A reasonable 2,500-foot setback is a bare minimum to meaningfully defend our cave systems from the inevitable, often catastrophic, spills and leaks that come with gas stations. Anything less would fail to fully protect our springs, fisheries, and drinking water.
By passing a 2,500-foot local buffer, we have the chance to do something sustainable and plan for the future. While I and many of my fellow residents are not anti-gas station, or even necessarily anti-growth in Wakulla County, it is essential to have a common sense setback.
We are blessed to call this place home. And we are also responsible for its protection. As a father, I look forward to sharing the river, springs, and gulf with my children, as I hope to someday share it with my grandchildren.
The time to protect Wakulla Springs is now. Let’s defend our springs, river, coast, and the underground caves that connect them by acting today.
Hunter Leavine is a Wakulla County resident, College Pastor at City Church Tallahassee, and a podcast host at Captains Collective.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Act now to defend Wakulla Springs from gasoline pollution | Opinion
