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Pensacol News Journal
Pensacola, Florida
Published - February, 21, 2008
Milton, DEP to discuss damage of mill
Carmen Paige
cpaige@pnj.com
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a warning letter to the City of Milton about violating its permit when it damaged an historic mill during the Locklin Lake dam restoration project.
DEP and city officials will meet March 3 to discuss issues involving the unearthing of the Benjamin Jernigan Mill Site at Locklin Lake more than a week ago. The city has an $800,000 appropriation from the state to replace the dam.
"We are going to discuss the violations and any other issues the DEP may have," said City Manager Donna Adams. "We want all history in the city to be documented."
The DEP has told city officials to stop work in the wake of the mill site being unearthed. Built between 1828 and 1830, it is Milton's first water-powered sawmill and gave the city its name, said county historians.
Nathan Woolsey, Santa Rosa Historical Society president, said he hopes, despite the damage to the mill, that the city does not lose its grant.
"But this is hard ball because the DEP is tough,'' he said. "I don't see any way around this for the city."
DEP compliance enforcement inspectors informed city officials "no more excavation was to occur at the site until the Bureau of Historical Resources was satisfied that all archaeological documentation had been submitted."
After an inspection, DEP inspectors said the construction has resulted in unauthorized removal of historic timbers. They also said erosion controls were inadequate, and no DEP permit postings were on site.
The mill site was severely damaged but some timbers and mill machinery were saved, Woolsey said. The items have been moved to the museum at the Imogene Theatre in downtown Milton.
DEP officials said the work must be halted until the archaeological survey has been completed. The city is contracting with the University of West Florida Archaeology Institute to document findings.
"We are expecting a proposal any day so we can get going on this phase of documentation," Adams said.
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