Santa Rosa County continues to have discussions with Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, to identify an alternative for recycling. ECUA was contracted to accept all recyclables in Santa Rosa County and transport them to a center in Montgomery, Ala. This center abruptly closed in October 2015. ECUA then began transporting recyclables to Tarpon Paper Company in Loxley, Ala. Because it was cost prohibitive, ECUA stopped transporting recyclables to Tarpon in December when they began charging a $12.50 per-ton tipping fee. ECUA is currently in the process of establishing a new processing facility in Escambia County.  Santa Rosa County discussions with ECUA concern future agreements as well as looking for all available long-term alternatives.

The overthrow of local authority to limit fracking, the controversial method of drilling for oil and natural gas after injecting chemicals underground to fracture rock formations, is being supported by Northwest Florida legislators.

At the Santa Rosa Board of County Commissioners’ meeting on Jan. 14, the discussion with pier operator Coastal Concessions continued regarding making amendments to the pier management contract currently in place with the county.  Coastal Concessions has been under the microscope recently because of overdue payment of pier admission fees to the county.  Coastal Concessions has contended since August that the financial struggle to pay the fees was precipitated by the maintenance costs associated with the upkeep of the pier.  According to the contract in place, Coastal is responsible for all expenses to maintain the pier while all of the revenue or gate fees revert back to the county.