The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has put Trulieve Cannabis Corp. on notice to respond to “possible violations” detected during a recent inspection – or pay the price.
In an April 20 letter obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat, DEP District Director Elizabeth Mullins Orr said an industrial wastewater inspection was conducted on April 15 and found possible violations at the company’s massive indoor grow facility at 1948 Capps Highway in Monticello.
“During the inspection, Department personnel noted the following: Operation of a wastewater facility or activity which discharges wastes into waters without a valid permit is issued by the Department,” Orr wrote in the letter.
She goes on to say that violations of Florida law or administrative rules may result in liability for damages and restoration. The company could face civil penalties up to $15,000 per day per violation.
Trulieve now has 15 days of receipt of the letter to provide a written response.
“We look forward to your cooperation in completing the investigation and resolving this matter,” Orr wrote.
DEP now becomes the second state agency in less than a week to warn Trulieve – the largest medical marijuana producer in Florida and the country’s leading producer with more than 230 locations – about possible violations at its Jefferson County mega-grow facility.
As residential concerns about water quality and runoff from the plant grew earlier this month, the Suwannee River Water Management District gave the company until April 24 to submit a maintenance plan or potentially face daily fines until proper remedies are in place.
The district didn’t specify the amount of the fines.
But the district’s letter, dated April 17, points to what it calls “apparent violations” that range from standing water in the stormwater pond during inspections, erosion and “excessive pollutants” from water quality samples and water flow.
While initially declining to comment on DEP’s letter, Steve Vancore, president at VancoreJones Communication in Tallahassee and spokesman for Trulieve, later sent a text statement to the Democrat.
“The Florida Department of Environmental Protection did not find any violations at Trulieve’s facility. Rather, the letter from the Department puts Trulieve on notice that DEP is opening an investigation and requests Trulieve’s cooperation in the efforts to resolve concerns raised in the letter,” he wrote. “As it has always done in the past, Trulieve will continue to work diligently and transparently to assist DEP with its review.”
Earlier, the Democrat obtained an internal one-page memorandum dated April 8 from Eric Powers, chief legal officer and Kyle Landrum, chief production officer, to Kim Rivers, the company’s founder, chairman and CEO.
They deny the claims, saying residents’ concerns are not supported by environmental testing data or the facility’s permitting record, adding “the facility is in compliance, its permits are current (and) its water supply is clean.”
Contact Economic Development Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @TaMarynWaters on X.