The Facts

Get the Facts!

“Black goo” found on beaches in Wakulla County. This allegation originally was made in 2007 and repeated recently by opponents of the Fenholloway Water Quality Project. As referenced in a FDEP sampling report, dated March 12th, 2007, there is no evidence that the material was connected to the Foley mill.

There is no “dead zone” in the mouth of the Fenholloway River. A "dead zone" is a body of water with reduced levels of oxygen that cannot sustain aquatic animal life. Scientific monitoring confirms sufficient oxygen levels exist at the mouth to support aquatic animal life. Residents and visitors to the Fenholloway can witness the animal and marine life present. 

Scientific monitoring at the mouth of the Fenholloway today also confirms that conditions necessary to support seagrasses in the Gulf have been reestablished. Mill improvements to date have resulted in a reduction of over fifty percent in water color. Color, nutrients and solids are specifically limited by the mill’s FDEP permit and closely monitored to ensure sufficient sunlight penetration to sustain aquatic vegetation.

The truth about the Foley mill and dioxin. Georgia-Pacific utilizes EPA’s approved methodology, specified in its mills NPDES permits, for sampling dioxin in effluent discharge.  For Foley Cellulose, those results have consistently reported non-detect in the mill’s effluent and internal purification plant streams after the mill converted to an elemental chlorine free purification system in 2000. Dioxin levels of sampled fish are below the minimum threshold levels considered to be unsafe.

When the riverbed is exposed, it will not be harmful. Although alleged by some opposing the Fenholloway project, there are no studies that conclude the Fenholloway River bottom is harmful to humans or wildlife.