Damage to property from limestone mining was addressed by Fla. Rep. Tom Fabricio when he spoke to the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce.
Advocates including the Miami Lakes Blasting Advisory Board seek to co-exist with mining companies and to reduce the power of blasts and resulting vibrations which they say cause cracks in home foundations, pools and patios.
Fabricio, R-Miami Lakes, has sponsored three bills that have not advanced during three sessions of the state legislature. He pledged to sponsor a fourth bill when lawmakers meet in January.
“Every single member of the Florida legislature knows me, they know that my number one issue that we advocate for, is some sort of equitable relief with regard to the blasting damage that homeowners have felt,” Fabricio, 46, told business leaders at their luncheon on July 12.
“The reality of it is that the majority of the concrete aggregate that is used for concrete in the state of Florida just comes from right here in our area,” he said.
Fabricio said the mining industry has a strong lobby, and that he has personally experienced the effects of blasting.
“It’s an unfortunate situation that we are right next to them, but we’re feeling those blasts every day and it is a problem,” Fabricio said. “I feel them in my house, I have the cracks in my house just like I am sure that many of you do as well.”
After his speech, Fabricio described how recent legislation restricting “frivolous” lawsuits will impact rising property insurance rates.
“Tort reform goes a long way towards limiting some of the problems we’ve had which caused a lot of what’s behind the insurance crisis in Florida,” Fabricio said.
“…It was attorneys’ fees that were fueling the litigation crisis which caused a lot of what happened with insurance,” he said.
“Is the problem resolved yet? No it’s not resolved yet. Is there more to come? I’m sure there is. I don’t have specific examples of what it is yet.”
Fabricio maintains an office to meet constituents at the Cypress Village Shopping Center in Miami Lakes.