Linda Young: Myths about the EPA's new water rules
Last Modified: Friday, November 5, 2010 at 6:44 p.m.
Confusion and name-calling continue to find fertile ground around the issue of Florida's polluted waters and what to do about them.
Recently 46 business groups, mostly agricultural and heavy industries, sent a letter to Congress urging more delays in EPA's proposed new water quality standards for Florida's waters. Our two U.S. senators are also voicing strong support for the delay.
As someone who has worked to strengthen Florida's water protections for the past 20 years, I think it is fair to say that there is mass confusion over what EPA's proposed new standards will and will not do for Florida's waters.
The business groups claim the rules will cost them too much money.
Some of my friends in the environmental community have made suggestions that imply that the rules will cure our water pollution problems.
I think that both of these claims are misleading and need further discussion and clarification. The citizens of Florida have a right to know the truth.
Polluted water is a big problem in Florida for many reasons. It becomes very expensive when we let our springs, rivers, lakes and coastal waters get polluted to the point that they are full of algae, dead fish and toxins. Sadly, many of Florida's waters reached that point quite some time ago.
Polluted water is also a health issue, it's a property value issue and it has lasting adverse effects on our wildlife. There are many, many good reasons that we should all care about water quality.
Here are a few facts about EPA's proposed new standards that will surprise many people:
Agriculture will not be affected, except possibly large dairies and chicken houses that have pipes that discharge.
Local governments with stormwater permits will not be affected (at least not for a very long time).
Big polluting industries with discharge pipes could be affected, except that the rule creates new loopholes for them and expands current free-passes around the Clean Water Act.
It would be nice if these statements were not true, but they are. State and federal laws largely exempt agriculture from compliance with these clean water rules. State law has massive loopholes that make it difficult to force a local government to do any more than they choose/volunteer to do about stormwater pollution.
Unfortunately, our own taxpayer-funded Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has helped to create much of the hysteria and confusion over this rule. Three former DEP heads have joined the 46 business groups in opposing the new standards. Our most recent past DEP secretary, Mike Sole, is now working for one of the companies that is represented by one of the business groups.
Florida's DEP has enabled the excess pollution in our waters for decades. Now, at a time when Florida's environmental protector should be calming the waters and guiding our communities and businesses into a new era of more responsible use of our resources, they spread division and fear.
There should not be further delay and the rules should be written so that they actually improve water quality and save the health of Florida residents and businesses.
EPA's proposed rule has potential to help Florida's waters and our economic prosperity. As currently drafted, the rule will not accomplish this goal and certainly will not cost as much as the business-driven hysteria claims.
EPA should adopt rules that will move us forward and begin to address at least the most serious water pollution problems. Then, in the future we can move on to those issues that the rules do not sufficiently address.
Linda Young is the director of the Clean Water Network of Florida.
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