A quick background – back in 2009 the EPA demanded Florida, and Florida only, comply with bizarre and onerous water quality regulations that would have raised our water bills by at least four fold. We organized a statewide appearance at EPA hearings and shoved them backwards. This issue did not go away…but yesterday the EPA is backing down from the ruling.
This is a great example of what happens when the Tea Party movement teams up with County and City government to fight regulations that make no sense. We provided a loud voice for the public to demand that our elected officials stand up to the EPA, and boy did they!!!!
We can make a difference!!!!
Note the quote by the Earthjustice folks at the bottom: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2011/11/enviros_state_officials_still.html
Details:
To summarize it, it states EPA preliminarily approves DEP’s draft of a numeric nutrient rule. If the Florida Department of Environmental Protection adopts satisfactory nutrient rule standards, EPA will withdrawal the rule it has adopted. The EPA rule in question is the one we have filed our legal challenges against. I believe this means EPA is seeking a graceful way to back away from its numeric nutrient rule. After EPA adopted it, the storm of controversy it generated has been overwhelming. Now that DEP is in the picture of creating its own rule, this gives EPA a convenient way to withdrawal their rule. The EPA rule was originally justified on a finding by an EPA Administrator that Florida wasn’t doing the job and it was necessary for EPA to step in and do it its self.
Now that EPA has preliminarily found Florida’s initial draft to be satisfactory, it is my belief they have begun the process of backing away from the rule and getting out of this controversy. There is a very good chance EPA will never actually implement or enforce its rule, as long as DEP appears to be making progress on its own rule. I will keep you posted as this develops.
