When the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced a draft proposal to allow Blue Origin to increase its industrial wastewater output that would flow into the Indian River Lagoon, residents and government officials in Brevard County corralled enough support to get the DEP to hold a public hearing.

That meeting is Friday from 4-7 p.m. at the Brevard County UF/IFAS Extension Building located at 3695 Lake Drive in Cocoa.

At issue is Jeff Bezos’ company desire to allow nearly 500,000 gallons of wastewater daily at Blue Origin’s Merritt Island facilities that would affect the Indian River Lagoon. The permit would allow it to operate an industrial wastewater treatment facility that could dispense up to 490,000 gallons per day. Of that total, up to 15,000 gallons per day could be unprocessed wastewater.

The water comes from manufacturing activities at the OLS Manufacturing Complex site where Blue Origin builds its New Glenn rocket, as well as other space-related hardware such as the Blue Moon lunar lander.

All of it would be discharged into a large stormwater pond with more than 400,000 square feet of surface area, but then flow into the sensitive Indian River Lagoon in north Brevard County.

Brevard County commissioners voted to seek a public hearing and encouraged residents at a packed meeting to write the DEP and request it as well.

According to the DEP, the “public meeting to provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions, offer input and obtain information about the industrial wastewater permit renewal application  …  The proposed action involves the renewal of an existing permit and does not change the conditions under which the facility has operated since 2020.”

Last fall, Blue Origin’s comment simply took the stance it was asking to continue a process already in place.

“This is a renewal of an existing agreement that has been in place for more than five years,” the company said in an emailed statement. “We are committed to maintaining responsible and compliant operations.”

The difference is the amount requested.

Of note, the Florida DEP has a Basin Management Action Plan that requires any wastewater treatment facility with a flow of more than 500,000 gallons per day to meet more rigorous wastewater treatment standards if they flow directly into the Indian River Lagoon or rapid infiltration basins within the lagoon watershed.

This Blue Origin draft permit falls just under the threshold.

“The permit authorizes a maximum allowable flow of 490,000 gallons per day, which represents the highest allowable flow rather than a typical daily flow. Actual volumes are significantly lower. The industrial wastewater covered by the permit renewal is generated from routine facility operations using drinking water supplied by the city of Cocoa. This water does not come into contact with rocket fuel or other hazardous substances and is not discharged directly to the Indian River Lagoon,” the DEP notice states.

“After completing its industrial use, it is managed through an on-site stormwater retention pond, which under certain conditions may discharge to an existing drainage system that ultimately connects to the Indian River Lagoon,” it continues. “All water used at the facility is monitored and reported regularly to DEP to ensure it meets strict water quality standards.”

In addition to the meeting, the DEP has left a public comment period that will run through Feb. 6.

“All comments received will be reviewed and considered before the department takes final action on the permit application,” the DEP stated.

According to the DEP notice at https://floridapublicnotices.com/notices/11397829, public comment can be made by sending mail to Randall Cunningham, 3319 Maguire Blvd, Suite 232, Orlando, Florida 32803-3767.