New state rules that allow stormwater permits for some developments to be approved with little scrutiny have Pasco County officials wondering whether they should provide more oversight.
“If there’s a problem 10 to 20 years from now, we’ll end up being the one who’s going to fix it,” County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder told commissioners at a recent workshop.
In the past, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, also known as Swiftmud, reviewed all permit applications. Each of the state’s five water management districts had its own rules. But this year, a law approved in 2012 kicked in and created statewide rules.