Regulatory
Public Pressure Prompts Florida DEP to Hold Hearing on Blue Origin Wastewater Permit
Jan. 30 meeting will review potential impacts on the Indian River Lagoon
Blue Origin is preparing for a Jan. 30 DEP hearing on a proposed wastewater discharge permit for its Merritt Island, Fla., manufacturing campus.
Blue Origin’s plan to discharge treated industrial wastewater from its Merritt Island, Fla., manufacturing campus continues to draw scrutiny as state regulators prepare for a Jan. 30 public meeting in Cocoa, Fla. The Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection will take comment on the aerospace company’s draft permit renewal, which would allow up to 0.49 million gallons per day of treated wastewater to flow into a stormwater pond that drains into the Indian River Lagoon.
Residents of Merritt Island, a community of about 34,500 residents, and the nearby city of Cape Canaveral, home to roughly 10,000 people, have been central to the growing public response. The Brevard County Commission and Cape Canaveral City Council formally requested a public meeting, and an online petition opposing the permit has drawn more than 46,000 signatures.
The draft permit would authorize Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, to discharge up to 490,000 gallons per day of process and non‑process industrial wastewater into a 403,000‑sq‑ft onsite stormwater pond. Local officials and environmental groups warn that runoff from the pond could reach the Indian River Lagoon and further strain an estuary already experiencing seagrass loss, algal blooms and wildlife declines.
DEP Communications Director Alexandra Kuchta told Florida Today that “public input is an important part of our permitting process,” adding that agency staff, technical experts and Blue Origin representatives will be available at the meeting to answer questions. She said DEP has extended its public comment period to Feb. 6 to allow time for feedback following the session.
That call for public input comes amid longstanding concerns about Blue Origin’s wastewater practices. Florida Today also reported that the agency has fined Blue Origin several times in recent years for permit‑related violations at its Merritt Island operations. While DEP has not released details of those enforcement actions, the record has added weight to calls from residents and local officials for closer oversight of the company’s wastewater practices.
In a statement, Blue Origin said it “prioritizes protecting and restoring Earth” and strives to be a good steward of the lagoon. The company said the permit is a renewal of an agreement in place for more than five years and reflects its commitment to compliance and conservation.
DEP spokesperson Sarah Fayed provided additional details to Florida Today, noting that the facility’s current flow averages about 40,000 gallons per day—less than 10% of the maximum that would be allowed by the permit—and that the wastewater does not come into contact with fuels or hazardous materials.
“None of this water is used to wash down rockets, and it never comes in contact with rocket fuel or other hazardous substances,” she said.
The Merritt Island proposal follows DEP’s recent approval of a separate five‑year industrial wastewater permit for Blue Origin’s launch‑pad deluge system at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. That permit regulates water used during launches and static‑fire tests and requires quarterly sampling for nutrients, metals, hydrocarbons and solids, as well as groundwater monitoring.
DEP’s Jan. 30 meeting will be the first public forum since the draft permit was issued in October. The session is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Brevard County UF/IFAS Extension Building, 3695 Lake Drive.
