FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 27, 2004
CONTACT: Dee Ann Miller, (850) 245-2112
Florida Continues Restoration of Rivers, Lakes
--State targets second round of waters for clean up--
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida today marked another milestone in the campaign
for cleaner water. Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Colleen M.
Castille signed a final order identifying the second of five groups of
waterbodies targeted for restoration. Waters identified for clean up include
rivers, estuaries and lakes in the Apalachicola/Chipola Basin, Charlotte Harbor
Basin, Lower and Middle St. Johns River Basins, St. Lucie/Loxahatchee Basin and
the tributaries of Tampa Bay.
“Florida is cleaning up its waterways,” said Secretary Castille. “The State’s
science-based method systematically targets impaired waters and guides water
quality improvements to assure healthier natural resources.”
Under the federal Clean Water Act, each state must identify impaired rivers,
lakes and estuaries for clean up. Science-based pollution limits, called Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), are then developed for each impaired waterway. A
TMDL is the maximum amount of a specific pollutant a waterbody can absorb and
still meet its designated uses, such as fishing, swimming, shellfish harvesting
or as a source of drinking water. Florida adopted a nationally recognized
program to govern TMDL development and implementation.
To target impaired waterways for clean up, the Department of Environmental
Protection divided the state into 30 watersheds. Each year the State assesses
groups of waters to determine which are impaired and require restoration and
which need further study. Over time, Florida will design plans to evaluate,
restore and monitor degraded waterbodies in the state.
After collecting extensive scientific data, the State established a second
group of rivers and lakes for restoration, identifying 446 waterbodies as
impaired. This second verified list of impaired waters underwent extensive
public review and will now be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) for approval.
Last year, the EPA approved Florida’s first group of impaired waters. The
State has developed close to 30 TMDLs for those waterways, including the
Ocklawaha River chain and Lake Okeechobee.
The State is working with federal and local governments, water management
districts, public and private utilities, industry, agriculture and environmental
groups to establish other TMDLs, which promote improved farming practices,
increased wastewater and stormwater treatment, and better land use planning to
reduce pollution.
Together with the TMDL program, the Department of Environmental Protection is
improving water quality through long-standing environmental regulations,
technical assistance, and an annual investment of hundreds of millions of
dollars to build water infrastructure, acquire conservation lands and restore
waterways.
The Group Two impaired waters list is available at
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/tmdl/index.htm.
Group Two Impaired Waters
Questions and Answers
What is DEP doing?
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is in the second of a
five-year program to identify the state’s impaired waterways and design plans
for their restoration.
Department Secretary Colleen M. Castille signed a final order targeting 446
impaired waters for clean up in the Apalachicola/Chipola Basin, Charlotte Harbor
Basin, Lower and Middle St. Johns River Basins, St. Lucie/Loxahatchee Basin and
the tributaries of Tampa Bay.
What is an impaired water?
An impaired water is a river, lake or stream that, because of pollution
levels, is not meeting water quality standards for its designated use, such as
fishing, swimming, shellfish harvesting or as a source of drinking water.
Why is there a list of verified impaired waters?
The Clean Water Act and the 1999 Florida Watershed Restoration Act require
the Department of Environmental Protection to identify impaired waters and
prioritize them for restoration. Science-based pollution limits, called Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), are then developed to promote the clean up of each
impaired waterway.
What is a TMDL?
A TMDL establishes the maximum amount of a specific pollutant the waterbody
can absorb and still meet its designated uses. TMDLs provide important water
quality targets so that any waters impaired by the cumulative impacts of
regulated and unregulated sources of pollution can be restored.
How is Florida’s verified list of impaired waters different than the 1998
list?
Florida’s verified list is more scientifically sound than the list prepared
in 1998. The previous methodology used to identify and list impaired waters
relied on incomplete and unreliable, and in some cases, unavailable data.
Florida’s comprehensive methodology now ensures that the data used to make
clean up decisions are scientifically verified, valid and current. The
Department’s rotating basin approach divides the state into 30 watersheds. Each
year, the Department evaluates waterways from six watersheds to determine which
are impaired and require restoration and which need further study. This
five-year evaluation process ensures that those waterways most in need of
restoration are addressed first.
Over time, all waterways will be addressed.
Are waterways removed from the impaired waters list?
A waterbody is removed from the 1998 list when there is enough scientific
data to confirm that it is meeting its designated use or if there was a flaw in
the initial listing.
For Group 2 waterways, the science indicates that 237 waterbodies are either
meeting water quality standards or were never impaired. Those waters with
insufficient information to determine impairment remain on the list.
What role did the public play?
The Department solicited public input on the draft Group 2 impaired waters
list at nine public meetings in May and June 2003. All meetings were noticed in
local newspapers and e-mails were sent to interested parties. More than 225
people attended the meetings and 114 people provided comments on the draft
lists. In response to public comments, the lists were updated and made available
for public review in September 2003.
Is there additional opportunity for public comment on the final Group 2
list?
The Department’s final order starts a 21-day period during which interested
parties may petition the decision to list or not list a waterbody as impaired.
What happens next?
After 21 days, the Department will submit the Group 2 list to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval. Once EPA has approved the
list, the Department will develop and implement TMDLs for the impaired waters.
How does this process restore Florida’s water?
Identifying impaired waters is only the first step. Once a TMDL is developed
and adopted, the Department will work with local stakeholders to develop a
comprehensive restoration plan for the waterbody. Cleaning up impaired waters
will take the participation and actions of local governments, businesses and
citizens.
What is the status of those waterways on the Group 1 list?
The first group of impaired waters was adopted on August 28, 2002. The
Department has developed and adopted nearly 30 TMDLs for Group 1 waterbodies,
all of which were approved by EPA.
The Department is currently working with local citizens, businesses and
government agencies to develop Basin Management Action Plans that outline
specific actions to reduce pollutants, achieve the TMDL and restore the affected
waterbodies.
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Protecting Florida's Water Resources - Myth
vs. Reality
| Myth |
Reality |
| “DEP is ignoring 237 waterways identified in
1998 as impaired.” |
DEP collected extensive scientific data for the 2004 Group
Two impaired waters list. Recent data indicates that, within the second
group, 446 failed to fully meet water quality standards and require
restoration. The data also indicate that 237 waterways are attaining water
quality standards and, therefore, should be removed from the 1998 impaired
waters list.
The State will continue to assess waterways to ensure they are meeting
water quality standards.
|
|
“DEP is weakening water quality standards.”
|
The Department is implementing a comprehensive, five-year
strategy to identify waters that are impaired and prioritize them for clean
up.
DEP has made no changes to the state’s water quality standards as part of
the TMDL program. Florida’s comprehensive water quality programs are
protecting and restoring surface waters according to the federal Clean Water
Act. Florida is recognized as having one of the most comprehensive
monitoring networks in the nation for identifying emerging water quality
problems.
|
| “DEP’s methodology for identifying impaired
waters is arbitrary.” |
DEP’s methodology is based on sound, verifiable scientific
data and analysis. DEP’s listing approach was endorsed by the National
Academy of Sciences, supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
and upheld by two courts. |
| “DEP’s approach slows the clean up of impaired
waters.” |
DEP’s approach augments existing regulatory programs and
restoration activities and accelerates clean up of impaired waters.
Identifying impaired waters is only the first step. Once a Total Maximum
Daily Load is developed, a comprehensive watershed approach using sound
science and the involvement of a broad range of local stakeholders is
undertaken to reduce pollution and restore the waterway.
Cleaning up impaired waters will work only with the active
participation of local governments, businesses and citizens.
|
| “DEP’s Impaired Waters Rule raises the bar so
high that few waters will ever be classified as ‘impaired’ and will not then
be restored.” |
DEP’s rule requires valid, reliable water quality data to
establish impairment. If the data is not available, DEP works with local
stakeholders to secure needed scientific documentation.
The Impaired Waters Rule has led to the identification of many waters
for restoration that were not targeted using the previous methodology.
|
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Press Office
2012 State of Florida