A U.S. District judge on Saturday ruled that limits on sewage, manure and fertilizer contamination in state waters must take effect by March 6. Judge Robert Hinkle supported a set of federally mandated criteria for Florida waterways in his ruling, but argued that two portions of the EPA-drafted rules are “arbitrary and capricious.”
Gov. Rick Scott yesterday signed legislation supporting Florida’s effort to create its own set of water pollution rules, also known as “numeric nutrient criteria.” The move is likely to add fuel to the fire of environmentalists, who argue that the state-drafted rules are not stringent enough to combat Florida’s nutrient pollution problem.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., today introduced a bill that would force the EPA to scrap its set of Florida water quality standards and instead accept rules drafted by the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The federal government today released a proposed $8.344 billion budget for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for fiscal year 2013. Florida environmental groups applauded the announcement, arguing the money would help ensure that job-creating restoration projects (like some underway in the Everglades) will not come to a halt.
In a new statement to The Florida Independent, the EPA defends its Florida-specific water pollution rules against charges in a new ad by the group Free Market Florida that the standards will cost the state “billions” and “eliminate 14,000 farming jobs.” Instead, according to the EPA, the regulations will ”save Florida money in the long run.”
The Broward Group of the Sierra Club today announced its opposition to the federal immigration detention center set to be built in the South Florida town of Southwest Ranches.
The Florida Senate gave final passage to a bill approving a set of state-drafted water pollution rules late Thursday, a move environmentalists say is a “slap in the face to Floridians” dealing with algal blooms and fish kills caused by poor water quality. Critics charge that the rules drafted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection are not as strong as the ones drafted by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Critics of federally mandated water pollution standards continue to challenge the costs and benefits of implementing the new water rules, while environmental groups maintain that the standards are necessary to ensure the health of Florida’s waterways, and its economy.
An EPA proposal to address pollution at U.S. beaches is designed to protect swimmers from illnesses brought on by pathogens in recreational waters, but the Natural Resources Defense Council argues that the proposal isn’t stringent enough, and will allow one in 28 beach-goers to get sick.
The Florida House of Representatives on Friday unanimously approved a bill to ease approval of a set of proposed state water quality standards drafted in response to a set of federal pollution limits, which many argue are too expensive to implement.
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