To Whom It May Concern,

I am a resident of <STATE YOUR LOCATION: Unincorporated Chatmire, City of Dunnellon, Marion County>. For the past few months, I’ve noticed an intermittent pungent, tar-like smell in the air, and have experienced unexplained throat irritation, coughing, and burning eyes. I have recently learned of the vast stockpile of carcinogenic, creosote-laden railroad ties stored on CSX property in Marion County by Track Line, LLC, in preparation for their proposed grinding and shredding operation. I am confident the presence of the railroad ties explains my physical symptoms.

With fears for my family’s health and irreparable damage to the environment and the sensitive Rainbow River watershed, I strongly oppose Track Line’s proposed operation in Marion County and request that FDEP deny Track Line’s Air Permit No. 0830196-001-AC. I further request the immediate removal of the railroad ties from Marion County due to the health and environmental risks raised by their simple presence, in compliance with Marion County’s Code Violation issued to Track Line and CSX last week.

Thank you for your immediate attention to my concerns,

<Your Name>

<Your Address>

<Your Phone Number>

Specific FDEP Contacts for Opposing Track Line, LLC’s Draft Air Permit No. 0830196-001-AC:

1. 1. Scott M. Sheplak, MPA, P.E.- Project Engineer responsible for reviewing the technical evaluation

Department’s Office of Permitting and Compliance

[email protected]

850-717-9074

1. 2. David Lyle Read, P.E. Environmental Administrator SES – Signed the draft permit, and is Scott’s supervisor

Permit Review Section

Division of Air Resource Management

850-717-9075

If you have already experienced unexplained symptoms such as throat irritation, coughing, and burning eyes, likely caused by the vast stockpile of creosote ties already piled up in Chatmire/Dunnellon, notify Air Compliance at FDEP’s Central District Office:

1. 1. DEP’s Central District (CDF) Office: [email protected]
   2. Reggie Phillips, DEP CD Office:  [email protected]

407-897-4132

1. 3. Collin Campbell, DEP CD:  [email protected]
   4. Amy Hilliard, DEP: [email protected]

In case you were unable to attend Dunnellon’s Special City Council meeting on Monday, 10/27, you can watch the entire meeting here:  https://dunnellon.granicus.com/player/clip/385?view_id=1&redirect=true

City Council provided the following FDEP contact information, encouraging all citizen’s to call and email their concerns and objections about Track Line’s creosote-laden railroad tie shredding and grinding operation in unincorporated Chatmire, Marion County BY FRIDAY 10/31, which is the deadline for public comment:

FDEP phone: 850-717-9000

[email protected]

At the meeting’s 1:18 mark, you can listen to Kathy Bryant, Marion County Board of Commissioner recap the efforts underway by Marion County. The following information was summarized from Ms. Bryant’s remarks:

Because the shredding site lies within the unincorporated area of Marion County, Dunnellon’s Mayor and City Council do not have jurisdiction.

Actions already taken by Marion County:

1. 1. 1. County Code Enforcement Officers visited the site last week.
      2. A Code Violation was issued to Track Line, copying CSX, giving them 14 days to remove the railroad ties.
      3. Track Line and CSX were also informed that even if the FDEP air permit is granted, they are not within their rights, per the Marion County Land Development Code, to set up this operation on the property they have targeted.
         1. The parcel is owned by CSX, but has a land preservation land use and an agricultural zoning use, which means the proposed railroad tie shredding and grinding operation does not fall within the Land Development Code.
         2. Track Line would have to go before the Marion County Board of Commissioners and make application for a Special User Permit in order to be allowed to operate the shredding facility on this site. There are many hurdles required to obtain a Special User Permit from the County.

Marion County’s next steps:

1. 1. 1. The County Commissioners’ legal department is reviewing all material, including letters from Dunnellon City Council.
      2. There will be correspondence coming from the County regarding the FDEP air permit, and those letters will have to go out by the end of this week to meet FDEP’s deadline for public comment.
      3. If Track Line does not remove the ties within the 14 day period specified, the County “will start liening them and we’ll go to court and seek an injunction. I mean, we will take this as far as we have to do, and we’re going to make sure that in our correspondence we let them know that.”
      4. Kathy Bryant assured City Council and the audience that she would be “move aggressively with everything in her power so that this operation does not happen at this site. It is absolutely 100%, it is not a location that is suitable for this type of activity.”