State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection Notice of Intent The Department of Environmental Protection hereby provides Notice of Intent to Issue a permit for the proposed project, as detailed in the application, subject to the conditions specified in the draft permit and summarized below. The applicant, Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, David J. Hackworth, Director of Engineering, 1100 Kennedy Drive, Key West, Florida 33040 applied on May 23, 2025, for a Class I injection well construction permit. The project is located at J. Robert Dean Water Treatment Facility, 19201 Southwest 354th Street, Florida City, Florida 33034, in Miami-Dade County (File 0062368-007-UC/1X, WACS ID 94264). The permittee will drill, construct, and operationally test one, Class I injection well (IW-2) for the disposal of non-hazardous reverse osmosis concentrate (a byproduct of the water treatment process used to produce drinking water from groundwater withdrawn from the Biscayne aquifer) from the J. Robert Dean Water Treatment Facility. One other injection well (IW-1) is currently operating at this facility with an associated monitor well (MW-1) under a separate underground injection control permit. Construction of IW-2 will increase the overall disposal capacity and provide redundancy to the existing injection well system. Injection well IW-2 is proposed to be constructed with a 22-inch diameter injection casing set to approximately 2,675 feet below land surface (bls), a 13-inch nominal size injection tubing set to approximately 2,665 feet bls with a cemented annulus (alternate design), and total drilled depth of approximately 3,300 feet bls. Injection well IW-2 is designed for a maximum injection rate of 3,507 gallons per minute and a maximum injection volume of 5.05 million gallons per day at an injection velocity of 10 feet per second in the proposed injection tubing of the well. The permitted injection rate and volume will be established after testing of the well is complete. Dual-zone monitor well MW-1 is located within 150 feet of the proposed location of injection well IW-2. MW-1 is completed in the Floridan aquifer with an upper monitor zone at 1,450 to 1,501 feet bls and a lower monitor zone at 1,750 to 1,802 feet bls. The Department has permitting jurisdiction under Chapter 403 of the Florida Statutes (F.S.) and the rules adopted thereunder. The project is not exempt from permitting procedures. The Department has determined that an Underground Injection Control permit is required for the proposed work. The Department will issue the permit unless a petition for an administrative hearing is timely filed under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S., before the deadline for filing a petition. On the filing of a timely and sufficient petition, this action will not be final and effective until further order of the Department. Because the administrative hearing process is designed to formulate final agency action, the hearing process may result in a modification of the agency action or even denial of the application. Petition for Administrative Hearing A person whose substantial interests are affected by the Department's action may petition for an administrative proceeding (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S. Pursuant to Rules 28-106.201 and 28-106.301, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), a petition for an administrative hearing must contain the following information: a. The name and address of each agency affected and each agency's file or identification number, if known; b. The name, address, any e-mail address, any facsimile number, and telephone number of the petitioner, if the petitioner is not represented by an attorney or a qualified representative; the name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner's representative, if any, which shall be the address for service purposes during the course of the proceeding; and an explanation of how the petitioner's substantial interests will be affected by the agency determination; c. A statement of when and how the petitioner received notice of the agency decision; d. A statement of all disputed issues of material fact. If there are none, the petition must so indicate; e. A concise statement of the ultimate facts alleged, including the specific facts that the petitioner contends warrant reversal or modification of the agency's proposed action; f. A statement of the specific rules or statutes that the petitioner contends require reversal or modification of the agency's proposed action, including an explanation of how the alleged facts relate to the specific rules or statutes; and g. A statement of the relief sought by the petitioner, stating precisely the action that the petitioner wishes the agency to take with respect to the agency's proposed action. The petition must be filed (received by the Clerk) in the Office of General Counsel of the Department at 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000, or via electronic correspondence at Agency_Clerk@FloridaDEP.gov A copy of the petition shall be mailed to the applicant at the address indicated above at the time of filing. Time Period for Filing a Petition In accordance with Rule 62-110.106(3), F.A.C., petitions for an administrative hearing by the applicant and persons entitled to written notice under Section 120.60(3), F.S., must be filed within 14 days of receipt of this written notice. Petitions filed by any persons other than the applicant, and other than those entitled to written notice under Section 120.60(3), F.S., must be filed within 14 days of publication of the notice or within 14 days of receipt of the written notice, whichever occurs first. The failure to file a petition within the appropriate time period shall constitute a waiver of that person's right to request an administrative determination (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S., or to intervene in this proceeding and participate as a party to it. Any subsequent intervention (in a proceeding initiated by another party) will be only at the discretion of the presiding officer upon the filing of a motion in compliance with Rule 28-106.205, F.A.C. Extension of Time Under Rule 62-110.106(4), F.A.C., a person whose substantial interests are affected by the Department's action may also request an extension of time to file a petition for an administrative hearing. The Department may, for good cause shown, grant the request for an extension of time. Requests for extension of time must be filed with the Office of General Counsel of the Department at 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, Mail Station 35, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000, or via electronic correspondence at Agency_Clerk@FloridaDEP.gov, before the deadline for filing a petition for an administrative hearing. A timely request for extension of time shall toll the running of the time period for filing a petition until the request is acted upon. Mediation Mediation is not available in this proceeding. Permit Documents The files associated with this order are available for public inspection during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except state holidays, at the Department of Environmental Protection, Southeast District, 3301 Gun Club Road, MSC 7210-1 West Palm Beach, Florida 33406, and at the Department of Environmental Protection, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400. Department Contact Additional information concerning this project may be obtained by contacting Rufus Dickey, Professional Geologist III, at 850-245-7580. IPL0359016 Jul 21 2026