In the wake of criticism

over a Polk County sinkhole at a phosphate mine that contaminated water seeping into the aquifer, Gov. Rick Scott responds.

TALLAHASSEE – Facing criticism for his administration’s handling of a sinkhole at a Polk County phosphate mine last month that led to contaminated water seeping into the aquifer, Gov. Rick Scott said Monday he will require businesses to notify the public of pollution, spills and leaks affecting water quality within 24 hours of the event.

“I am demanding any business, county or city government responsible for a pollution incident to immediately tell the public,” Scott said in a released statement.

Scott put in a temporary emergency rule through the Department of Environmental Protection requiring notification of the public and local governments. He said he would push for new state laws making the requirement permanent when the Legislature convenes next year.

The move is a change from his previous defense of how the DEP handled the sinkhole and subsequent spillage of 215 million gallons of water described as radioactive at a Mulberry mine operated by Mosaic.

“DEP is monitoring it, Mosaic has taken responsibility,” Scott told reporters last week. “We need to make sure and DEP is working to make sure everybody knows what’s going on.”

It also follows a firestorm of criticism from Democrats demanding to know why more wasn’t done to tell the public sooner.

“Your office claims to have followed notification requirements prescribed by current law, but I believe the Department of Environmental Protection has a greater responsibility to the public,” U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, DTallahassee, wrote to Scott. “When public health is at risk, the state has a duty to notify nearby residents as soon as possible and before their wells are polluted so they can take appropriate action.”

Although DEP was investigating the matter on site within 24 hours, the general public was not informed until three weeks after the initial discovery.

Scott said current state laws regarding public notification aren’t strict enough.

“It does not make sense that the public is not immediately notified when pollution incidents occur,” Scott said. “That is common sense and our residents deserve that.”