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Divetalking » Cave, Events, Reference, Report » Public hearing on whether or not to open the Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park to cave divers

Public hearing on whether or not to open the Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park to cave divers

On January 19th,  the Florida Park Service will be hosting a public hearing on whether or not to  open the Edward Ball Wakulla   Springs State    Park to cave divers (see the Media Advisory). Currently, diving access to Wakulla  Springs has only been through government permit, with few permits having been  applied for and granted.  As a result, access to Wakulla Springs has  largely been closed to technical divers irrespective of training  organization or qualifications. If potential future access is of interest  to you, than we urge you to attend the hearing in support of opening Wakulla  Springs to properly trained and certified technical cave divers, as well as  submitting your opinions in writing prior to the meeting (the address for  written submissions is included in the below Media Advisory).

If you are  unable to attend the hearing, written opinions from you and other  interested divers are very important for providing the Park Service with the  broad views and interests of the diving community. Be certain to send  written comments to them before the 19 January meeting. The address is: The Division of Recreation and Parks’ Office of  Park Planning, 3900 Commonwealth    Blvd, Mailstation 525, Tallahassee, FL 32399

We recommend your written  comments be positive in tone and include the following key points:

  1. The industry’s technical diving organizations, who       offer cave diving training, have each developed accepted and proven       comprehensive training courses. They have demonstrated their       obligation/responsibility to diver safety.
  2. As a state facility, Wakulla Springs should be       accessible to all qualified divers without favoritism to or control by one       training organization, institution or entity.
  3. Appropriate conservation measures can and should be       instituted as an important component in providing access and in order to       protect and conserve the site.
  4. The State of Florida       has allowed properly qualified divers access to a number of challenging       and similar environments for decades. As such, the State has demonstrated       a history of recognizing and acknowledging the training competency of cave       divers in the general public and the overall safety record of cave divers       using State-owned sites.
  5. Divers have historically demonstrated a strong sense of       conservation activism due to their personal experiences. Allowing access       to Wakulla Springs will generally widen public support for the ongoing       protection of, and funding for, the Park.
  6. Opening access with the nominal diving fees       applied by similar parks will provide an additional source of revenue to       support the Park infrastructure

 

CRAWFORDVILLE – The Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service will host a public workshop on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 to hear from the public regarding the proposed inclusion of recreational cave diving at Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park.

The Florida Park Service is examining proposals to provide recreational cave diving in Wakulla Spring. In an effort to solicit the views of the local community, the park’s citizen support organization and other park stakeholders, public comment will be taken before formally proposing the addition of cave diving in Wakulla Spring. Interested parties unable to attend the public workshop on Jan. 19 may send written comments to the Division of Recreation and Parks’ Office of Park Planning, 3900 Commonwealth Blvd, Mailstation 525, Tallahassee, FL 32399.

Featuring of one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park is home to an abundance of wildlife, including alligators, turtles, deer, and birds.

The public workshop will be held:

Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012

7 p.m.

Wakulla County Agriculture Extension Office

The Arena

84 Cedar Avenue

Crawfordville, Florida

© 2012, admin. All rights reserved.

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Founder and Master Moderator of Divetalking.

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