Florida Wildlife Commission investigating city over sewage spills

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed Friday to the Tampa Bay Times that the agency's law enforcement divison is investigating the city of St. Petersburg's sewage spills in August.

Since the investigation is ongoing, the agency can't release many details, said Kelly Richmond, a spokeswoman for the commission.

After several weeks of heavy rains, the city released more than 31 million gallons of raw and partially treated sewage into Clam Bayou, Tampa Bay and the campus of Eckerd College in the first ten days of August.

Shortly after the spills, Mike Connors, the city's longtime director of public works, abruptly retired after a brief meeting with Mayor Rick Kriseman.

The state Department of Environmental Protection said last month it wouldn't fine the city for the spills because they occurred during a state of emergency declared by Gov. Rick Scott.

The mayor's office was not aware of the investigation when contacted by Times on Friday.