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Record of Proceedings

Environmental Protection Commission Meeting – October 22, 2026

Hillsborough County Archive View Page — Thursday, October 22, 2026
BodyHillsborough County, Florida
SessionHillsborough County Archive View Page
DateThursday, October 22, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 53:17

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

2:12

Good morning, and welcome to the Environmental Protection Commission meeting for Thursday, October twenty second.

2:19

If everyone can please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and invocation given by Commissioner Cameron Cepeda.

Speaker 2

2:41

Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning.

2:44

We thank you for who you are.

2:45

You are great and mighty God.

2:47

You are worthy to be praised.

2:49

And this morning, we pray a very special blessing on the EPC employees.

2:55

What an amazing job they have been doing.

2:58

The gifts and talents you've given them.

3:01

Lord, we love them so much, and you love them.

3:03

And we thank you for their you've given this gifts and desires to protect our environment, Lord.

3:10

And it's not only protecting our environments because the heart they have also to protect the people in our community.

3:17

And we pray a special blessing over them this morning.

3:20

We pray for a long and healthy lives.

3:23

Lord, bless their families and everything that concerns them.

3:27

And we thank you, and we ask you to bless this meeting this morning in your holy name.

3:31

Amen.

3:32

Amen.

Speaker 3

3:50

Cohen.

Speaker 1

4:09

Okay.

4:13

So moved.

4:14

We have a motion by Commissioner Cohen, second by Commissioner Watson.

4:18

Please record your

Unassigned speaker

4:19

vote.

Speaker 4

4:54

So I'll move approval of the consent agenda.

Speaker 1

4:58

Okay.

Unassigned speaker

5:00

We have a motion by Commissioner Coins, second by Commissioner Westo, please request your vote.

Speaker 5

5:12

Yes.

Speaker 3

5:15

Motion carries six to zero.

Unassigned speaker

5:18

Okay.

Speaker 1

5:20

Can you check to see if Commissioner Sapeda is working?

Speaker 2

5:24

She said it wasn't working this morning earlier, she

Unassigned speaker

5:26

said.

Unassigned speaker

5:41

Okay.

Unassigned speaker

5:44

There we go.

Unassigned speaker

5:45

Oh, thank you.

Unassigned speaker

5:46

Thank you.

Unassigned speaker

6:04

That's weird.

Unassigned speaker

6:07

I can hear them down again.

Unassigned speaker

6:10

Okay,

Speaker 1

6:10

we move right now into our regular agenda.

6:12

Have no one, nothing for the public hearing.

6:15

Good morning.

Speaker 5

6:16

Good morning, Commissioner.

6:17

Good morning.

6:18

Um, we'll move right into 9A.

6:21

Um, the request for approval of our 2026 pollution recovery fund grant application.

6:27

And I believe Chris Pratt is here to bring those forward.

Speaker 1

6:31

Good morning, Chris.

6:32

Good morning.

6:32

Good morning, Commissioners.

6:34

Thank you, Janet.

Unassigned speaker

6:40

Good

Speaker 6

6:41

morning, Commissioners.

6:42

My name is Chris Pratt, EPC staff.

6:44

I'm here today to present EP staff or EPC staff recommendations

Unassigned speaker

6:48

for

Speaker 6

6:48

the 2026 pollution recovery fund grant projects.

6:52

We will be asking for a vote of approval for the recommended projects at the end of the presentation.

6:59

EPC's pollution recovery fund provides grant money for projects to restore polluted areas, mitigate the effects of pollution, and to otherwise enhance pollution control activities within Hillsborough County.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection█████████████████████████████████████████████52%
Procedural█████████████████20%
Water And Wastewater Management████████9%
Public Engagement█████6%
Urban Planning█████6%
Fiscal Sustainability███3%
Agricultural Support███3%
Wetland Conservation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Environmental Protection Commission Meeting – October 22, 2026

The Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) of Hillsborough County held its regular meeting on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 2:30 PM. The commission approved the consent agenda, authorized $929,126 in Pollution Recovery Fund grants for 11 environmental projects, received the 2026 annual report, and recognized outgoing Commissioner Cameron Cepeda. All votes were unanimous (6-0).

Consent Calendar

  • Motion to approve the consent agenda passed 6-0.

Discussion Items

  • Pollution Recovery Fund (PRF) Grant Applications (Item 9A): Chris Pratt, EPC staff, presented 11 recommended projects totaling $929,126. Since 1987, the PRF has provided over $9 million for environmental projects in Hillsborough County, funded solely by enforcement penalties. The recommended projects included: flood monitoring sensors by USF ($100,000), real-time water quality stations ($100,000), avian blood parasite diversity study ($97,097), GIS-based stormwater pollution prevention ($86,369), PFAS bioaccumulation study ($99,478), Tampa Bay cleanups by Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful ($40,450), floating wetlands on the Hillsborough River ($97,783), wetland restoration at Learning Gate Community School ($90,000), seagrass restoration near Apollo Beach ($99,000), a framework for hypereutrophic lake remediation ($85,449), and mangroves/substrate restoration in Ruskin ($33,500). The commission approved all 11 projects (6-0).
  • 2026 Annual Report: The executive director presented the annual report, highlighting EPC’s achievements: over 2,000 authorizations, 3,700 field inspections, compliance assistance in over 1,000 cases, water quality monitoring at 261 stations (over 50 years of data), 15 delegated environmental programs, and a 93% customer satisfaction rating. The report noted that EPC staff has been reduced by 18% since 2000 while population grew 57%. Commissioner Boles raised concerns about urban service area expansion and Lake Thanona Sassa pollution, urging EPC to engage proactively with the planning commission. The report was received (6-0).
  • Recognition of Commissioner Cameron Cepeda: Staff and commissioners honored outgoing Commissioner Cepeda for her service since 2022, her work as chaplain leading invocations, and her contributions to the board. Gifts and cards were presented.
  • Other Updates: Staff reported on recent engagements (FLARA conference, wetland workshop, volunteer cleanups collecting 23 bags of trash), new attorney Marie O’Donnell, and four interns from the University of South Florida.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent agenda approved (6-0).
  • 2026 Pollution Recovery Fund grants approved: 11 projects, $929,126 total (6-0).
  • 2026 annual report received (6-0).
  • The next EPC meeting is scheduled for December 17, 2026; if no action items arise, it may be deferred to 2027.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, and welcome to the Environmental Protection Commission meeting for Thursday, October twenty second. If everyone can please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and invocation given by Commissioner Cameron Cepeda. Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning. We thank you for who you are. You are great and mighty God. You are worthy to be praised. And this morning, we pray a very special blessing on the EPC employees. What an amazing job they have been doing. The gifts and talents you've given them. Lord, we love them so much, and you love them. And we thank you for their you've given this gifts and desires to protect our environment, Lord. And it's not only protecting our environments because the heart they have also to protect the people in our community. And we pray a special blessing over them this morning. We pray for a long and healthy lives. Lord, bless their families and everything that concerns them. And we thank you, and we ask you to bless this meeting this morning in your holy name. Amen. Amen. Cohen. Okay. So moved. We have a motion by Commissioner Cohen, second by Commissioner Watson. Please record your vote. So I'll move approval of the consent agenda. Okay. We have a motion by Commissioner Coins, second by Commissioner Westo, please request your vote. Yes. Motion carries six to zero. Okay. Can you check to see if Commissioner Sapeda is working? She said it wasn't working this morning earlier, she said. Okay. There we go. Oh, thank you. Thank you. That's weird. I can hear them down again. Okay, we move right now into our regular agenda. Have no one, nothing for the public hearing. Good morning. Good morning, Commissioner. Good morning. Um, we'll move right into 9A. Um, the request for approval of our 2026 pollution recovery fund grant application. And I believe Chris Pratt is here to bring those forward. Good morning, Chris. Good morning.

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