Welcome to the 2nd edition of the South District Protection Connection Newsletter! I am happy to report our outreach compliance assistance efforts are resulting in strong dividends in three ways:  by streamlining/reducing regulatory burden and increasing economic gains by our regulated partners, through reduction in government costs associated with our compliance efforts, and by tangible environmental protection outcomes.  While these efforts have helped our compliance issue numbers decrease, it is important to emphasize that we are maintaining a level playing field by holding those that refuse to abide by law accountable through rigorous enforcement.  

I hope that you were able to take advantage of one or more of the Assistance outreach events held recently.  Check our calendar for those that are coming.  If you don't see something which could be beneficial, please let us know and we will incorporate it within our program.

Jon Iglehart 

Director of District Management

More than 200 Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) customers have taken part in FDEP Outreach programs in the last two months. 

The South District hosted a free Sodium Hypochlorite Spill Response and Prevention Seminar.  The training was for our regional Drinking Water and WWTP Operators.  Vicki McGucken of the Southeast District was the facilitator.  The course was beneficial for utility managers, risk managers and utility maintenance personnel.  More than 70 licensed operators attended and received 0.3 CEUs to water, wastewater and water distribution license-holders for the three hour class. 

FDEP and our regional partner the SFRPC (South Florida Regional Planning Council) hosted a day of database management skill improvements with a program called "Navigating DEP's Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)." 47 customers from both the private sector and government agencies attended. Information covered was as follows:

• Contaminated Site navigation and discussion on several case studies
• Map Direct, Wetlands Determinations, navigation of Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) information in Oculus
• Oculus Webinar provided by DEP Office of Technology and Information Services (OTIS)
• Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (SFWRPC) website tools available for private sector and government agencies
• Introduction of the South District's Environmental Consultants and their role

To help our customers take part in the Statewide Environmental Resource Permit (SWERP) webinar, we hosted a webinar party in the state building here in Fort Myers. We had 45 people participate in this event. The webinar party allowed for a post Questions & Answers with our staff that was very informative.

Please we encourage everyone to reach out to the South District staff and provide us ideas and recommendations for training opportunities.

The Fall Edition of Real Florida Run/Walk Series continues through November in a state park near you. The Run/Walk is in support of the Friends of the State Parks which is a nonprofit volunteer group that works to make our visit to a state park more enjoyable. Did you know that the Department's Park Service was recently recognized by the National Recreation and Parks Association as the best state park system in the country for 2013? Come on out and enjoy a fun family event.