Debris removal still underway in Pinellas after state forced open solid waste disposal site

Image via Collier County.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is sounding off on Pinellas County after officials failed to open a local debris disposal site as ordered.

While giving an update on Hurricane Milton, the Governor said the gate to the disposal site was locked and no one from the county was on hand to open it. DeSantis said the Florida Highway Patrol utilized trucks and rope to force the gate open, allowing some 300 vehicles that were waiting to unload to enter.

The Governor on Sunday issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for much of Florida’s Gulf Coast, including Pinellas County. In it, he also mandated that all “Management Sites and landfills in all counties impacted by Hurricane Helene” remain open and allow for 24-hour debris drop-off.

Pinellas County had closed its solid waste disposal site temporarily after debris drop-offs had exceeded what the county deemed the site able to handle.

DeSantis said the state made the correct decision in forcing the site open, arguing “we don’t have time for bureaucracy and red tape.”

An inquiry with the Pinellas County government about the incident is pending.

While DeSantis lamented the situation regarding debris removal in Pinellas County, he praised the city of St. Petersburg for its efforts, including working with vendors to expedite debris removal.

DeSantis said the state has helped facilitate nearly 500 truckloads carrying a cumulative 9,000 cubic yards of debris removed from barrier islands in Pinellas County. He encouraged private citizens to gather and dump debris at the now-opened county site.

As the state braces for Milton’s landfall somewhere on the Gulf Coast, DeSantis said the state has 800 National Guardsmen on hand to continue helping with debris removal. Another 5,000 have been mobilized for Milton response and another 3,000 will be deployed after landfall.

The state is also bringing in linemen and other power restoration resources ahead of the storm.

The state has established a “temporary base camp” at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg to support debris removal and post-landfall operations.

As of 10 a.m., mandatory evacuation orders were in place in Pinellas County only for health care facilities in zones A, B and C, with a voluntary evacuation order in place for all residents in those zones. State emergency management chief Kevin Guthrie said in the Monday morning update that mandatory evacuations for residents are expected at 2 p.m.

In the meantime, DeSantis said anyone who lives on a barrier island “should assume that there’s going to be some form of evacuations issued by your county officials.”