Small Town News

Panel discusses Floridas pending federal water quality standards

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Representatives from various state agencies and organizations met in De-Funiak Springs last week for a panel discussion of the issues related to the Florida's new federally mandated water standards.

The panel, comprised of members of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Audubon of Florida and the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, among others, met at the DeFuniak Springs Community Center on Thursday, Jan. 14. The meeting, held one day before the official announcement of new so-called "nutrient runoff pollution" standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency, was put together by State Representative Dave Murzin of Pensacola for the purpose of discussing the science behind the new water quality standards and the ramifications they could have for residents of northwest Florida.

A similar meeting was held later in the day in Milton. The panel discussion was open to public comment and several local businesses and farming operations were represented among the audience.

The new EPA proposed water quality standards, should they get final approval in October, would be the first of their kind in the country. They aim to establish a numeric threshold at which the nitrogen and phosphorous content of the state's inland streams, creeks and rivers will not adversely affect the plants and animals that inhabit these waterways.

The new standards are more rigid than those previously put in place by FDEP and although the specifics of the proposed regulations are not available at this time, a 2008 study carried out by the EPA and FDEP found that 1,000 miles of assessed rivers and streams, roughly 16 percent of Florida's flowing waters, did not meet the proposed federal standards because of excess nutrient content. According to the study, none of northwest Florida's three main rivers, the Perdido, the Apalachico-la and the Choctawhatchee, currently meet the new federal standard.

Northwest Florida River Management District Executive Director Doug Barr said he was not opposed to the state and now federal water quality regulations on principal, but rather in the way that the two agencies reached their conclusions.

"Nutrients standards need to be based on defensible data, it's as simple as that," Barr said. "These one-size-fits all standards the EPA has handed down don't match up with the natural state of the rivers. The standard is set too high for the natural levels [of nutrients]."

As part of his presentation, Barr showed that, in the majority of cases, the reason that northwest Florida's rivers are shown to have higher than acceptable levels of nitrogen and phosphorous is because these rivers originate in states where the EPA standards do not apply. Barr said that water samples taken closer to the state lines with Alabama and Georgia show higher nutrient concentrations than samples taken farther down the river into Florida.

FDEP's Division of Environmental Assessments and Restoration Director Jerry Brooks agreed with Barr's assessment of that excessive nutrient enrichment is not considered "a problem unique to Florida." He also said, that "processes are in place" within the EPA to deal with the problem of Florida's responsibility in comparison to Alabama and Georgia's apparent lack of regulation. Brooks said Florida has more data on water quality than any other state in the Southeast, and that is why it seems to have been "singled out" by the EPA.

"The EPA has been very supportive of work [FDEP]' has done in the state," Brooks said. "This is something we don't need to get too wrapped around the axle on. The main thing to do is just to get the numbers right in the end."

However, not all members of the panel were as reserved in the estimation of the new regulation. FFDA Agriculture Natural Resources Management Director Charles Aller said that the new EPA regulations amount to a "federal takeover of what should be a state responsibility." He said that these new regulations will likely have a disproportionate impact on Florida, particularly in the realm competition in the agricultural market.

"The bottom line is it's going to take time, it's be expensive [for farms and businesses], and it's going to involve everyone," Aller said.

Issues relating to the plants and animals that occupy the state's waterways were addressed by Audubon of Florida Deputy Director Eric Draper. He said that the majority of water resources are not used by people are instead contained in the state's lakes and streams and are therefore more of a habitat for wildlife than strictly a commodity for human consumption.

"Of course we can't forget the human element," Draper said. "However, we shouldn't focus solely on human needs. Wildlife need clean water too."

More details involving the proposed water quality standards will be featured in a follow-up article in next week's edition of the De-Funiak Herald.



Copyright 2010 The DeFuniak Springs Herald, DeFuniak Springs, Florida. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2010 The DeFuniak Springs Herald DeFuniak Springs, Florida. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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