The Ichetucknee, Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers in Columbia County in Northern Florida are
being threatened by the construction of a $130 million cement plant proposed to be built
three miles from the Ichetucknee. These beautiful rivers are spring-fed from limestone
caverns far below the surface of the earth, resulting in some of the clearest and cleanest
rivers in North America. The Ichetucknee's waters and shorelines give rise to a
spectacular and complex ecosystem and provide a recreational resource for upwards of
200,000 visitors annually.
It is the limestone geological feature that attracts Suwannee American and American
Columbia, who plan to build the cement plant. Limestone is needed in the manufacture
of cement. By constructing the cement plant so near the river, this proposes a
serious health and environmental hazard to the area. It is estimated the cement
plant will generate in excess of 3,100 tons of pollution every year, including deadly
mercury, dioxins and other carcinogenic agents from the burning of coal and tires to fuel
the plant. In addition, 690 trips a day will be made over local roads by cement trucks
servicing the plant.
Suwannee American's connection with its sister company American Columbia is
troubling. One of the nation's largest paving contractors, American Columbia has a
spotty environmental track record and has been much in the news lately for its generosity
to state politicians, two of whom have been convicted in federal court for failing to
report income received from the company.
In the most disturbing recent development, Florida's governor Jeb Bush has gained DEP
approval for the cement plant in behind-closed-door meetings. Only a year ago, Bush
and the Department of Environmental Protection Secretary David Struhs canoed the river and
said "no" to the cement plant. In addition, the web site of Governor Jeb
Bush extols his position in protecting Florida's environment.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP SAVE THE RIVERS:
A grass-roots effort to stop the Ichetucknee Cement Plant is growing but funds for expert
witnesses and lawyers' fees are needed. You can send tax-deductible contributions to
Save Our Suwannee, P.O. Box 669, Bell, Florida 32619
Send your comments to State Senator Richard Mitchell, tel. (850) 487-5017 or Department
of Environmental Protection Secretary David Struhs, tel. (850) 488-4805. Contact
Governor Jeb Bush at: Office of the Governor, The Capitol, Tallahassee, FL.
32399-0001, by calling (850) 488-4441 or by e-mail at fl_governor@eog.state.fl.us
1. Read the links below about the Bush administration, his environmental policies
and about the rivers - get educated about what's going on...
2. E-mail this page and the links below to your friends.
3. For your computer-less friends, print out this page and give it to
them.
4. Ask your friends to write to Jeb Bush expressing their concern about the
construction of the Ichetucknee cement plant.
