CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The city of Cape Canaveral will decide Tuesday whether to send a letter to the state, demanding a public hearing over whether to renew a permit for Blue Origin that would allow it to dump discharge waters that flow to the Indian River Lagoon.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has drafted a permit that would allow the aerospace company to discharge about 500,000 gallons of industrial wastewater daily into a retention pond, which flows into the Indian River Lagoon.
[WATCH: Florida draft permit would let Blue Origin send rocket wastewater to Indian River Lagoon]
Council members will consider a motion at Tuesday’s city council meeting to authorize the city manager to send a letter to DEP asking for the hearing.
The Brevard County Commission is sending a similar letter. State regulators are not required to grant the meeting and have sole discretion over whether to approve the permit.
The plan has angered residents, who recently packed a county commission meeting to voice their opposition.
While the permit requires testing for pollutants and prohibits direct discharge into drinking water supplies, recent developments have heightened public concern. FDEP recently fined Blue Origin for improper water testing procedures.
[WATCH: Blue County seeks public meeting on Blue Origin waste]
Residents are also frustrated as the county wants voters to consider reissuing a sales tax to continue paying for Indian River Lagoon restoration efforts.
Council members are also expected to hold another discussion on plans to close Cape View Elementary School, another proposal, this time by Brevard Public Schools, that has generated a lot of controversy among residents.
The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at City Hall on Polk Avenue.
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