Flagler Estates Concerned Citizens, Inc.

Just read this article.  Does this mean that DEP is handing off the TMDL issue to EPA???  That may mean the FERDS are wasting their breath (and OUR money) fighting with DEP.

Feds To Limit Nutrient Pollution In Florida Waters
   August 24, 2009
Last week, the EPA announced a settlement of a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club, Florida Wildlife, Federation and other environmental groups. In the settlement, the EPA will set legal, numeric limits for farm and urban runoff of fertilizers and animal waste. This will be the first time EPA will force numeric limits on nutrient runoff on a state.

Environmental groups hailed the EPA settlement and credited the Obama Administration for action on the measure. In a statement, EPA noted the standards are needed “to protect Florida waters from the impacts of nitrogen and phosphorous pollution.”

Given the federal action, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is considering whether it would be prudent to continue its own rulemaking efforts on the issue. In a statement, DEP Secretary Michael Sole, noted: “Over the last 10 years, Florida has invested thousands of staff hours in development of numeric nutrient criteria, and throughout the last year we have moved aggressively to analyze the massive amount of nutrient and biological data available for Florida waters. Alone, Florida accounts for 30% of the national water quality dataset far surpassing any other state in the nation. Our efforts have focused on appropriately addressing the complexity of Florida's ecosystems and coinciding with the intent, schedule and guidance provided from EPA.

“Florida has made a tremendous investment to collect and analyze the data necessary to define how nutrient enrichment affects the biological health of our surface waters. To ensure that there is no duplication of work, we will continue to work with EPA in the same manner they have worked with us as they develop the criteria. We look forward to EPA presenting its criteria to both DEP and the stakeholders of Florida.”

The EPA has until Jan. 14, 2010 to set the new limits for Florida’s creeks, rivers, and lakes. The rules must be finalized by October 2010.

This article was retrieved from the following website: http://www.ornamentaloutlook.com/news/newsyouneedtoknow/?storyid=930