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TALLAHASSEE -- Florida has marked another milestone in its comprehensive
strategy to address waterbody restorations around the state. The Florida
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has signed an order identifying
five groups of waterbodies targeted for the final year of a five-year cycle for
water monitoring and systematic restoration. These five Florida waters
identified for clean-up are the Indian River Lagoon, Perdido Bay, Springs Coast,
the Upper East Coast Basins, and portions of rivers, estuaries and lakes in the
Everglades.
“Due to the enormous work of our scientists and staff, the Florida Department
of Environmental Protection has now completed its first five-year cycle to
identify the State’s impaired waterways and are designing detailed plans for
their respective restorations.” said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. “The Florida
DEP’s science-based method systematically targets impaired waters and then
develops a roadmap for restoration, water quality improvements, and healthier
natural resources, and includes the community and a variety of stakeholders who
appreciate our scientific methods.”
Under the federal Clean Water Act, each state in the nation 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. In 1999,
Florida adopted a nationally-recognized program to govern TMDL development and
implementation.
To target impaired waterways for clean-up, DEP divided the state into 29
watersheds. Each year the State assesses groups of waters to determine which are
impaired and require restoration and which need further study. Once designated,
DEP designs plans to reduce pollutant loads and monitor progress being made to
restore degraded waterbodies throughout the State.
After collecting extensive scientific data, the State established a fifth
group of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters for restoration, identifying 272
additional waterbodies as impaired. This fifth verified list of impaired waters
underwent extensive public review and will now be submitted to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval. The State has already
proposed more than 200 TMDLs for impaired waterways in the Group 1, 2, 3 and 4
Basins, including the Ocklawaha River chain, the Orange Creek Basin, and Lake
Okeechobee.
Currently, the State is working with federal and local governments, water
management districts, public and private utilities, industry, agriculture, and
environmental groups to develop, adopt and implement basin management action
plans. A blueprint for restoration, basin management action plans promote
improved farming practices, increased wastewater and stormwater treatment, and
better land use planning to reduce pollution. Together with the TMDL program,
DEP 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 5 Basin list is available at.http://www.dep.state.fl.us/legal/Final_Orders/2007/dep07-1348,etal.pdf.
For more information on water projects throughout Florida, visit
www.dep.state.fl.us/water.
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Group Five Impaired Waters Questions and Answers
What is DEP doing?
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has now completed
its first five-year cycle to identify the state’s impaired waterways and, in
many cases, is designing detailed plans for their respective restorations. In
the latest round of evaluating impairments in the surface waters of Florida, DEP
Deputy Secretary Mimi A. Drew signed a final order on December 12, 2007,
targeting 272 impaired waters for clean-up in the Everglades, Indian River
Lagoon, Perdido, Springs Coast and Upper East Coast Basins.
What is an impaired waterbody?
An impaired waterbody is a river, lake, or coastal water 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.
What does this list of verified impaired waters mean?
The federal Clean Water Act and the 1999 Florida Watershed Restoration Act
require DEP 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 restoration 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 designated as impaired by different sources
of pollution can be restored.
How is Florida’s verified list of impaired waters different than the 1998
list?
This verified list is more scientifically sound than the list originally
prepared in 1998. The previous methodology used to identify and list impaired
waters often relied on incomplete and unreliable data, and in some cases, relied
on opinion surveys when no data were available. Florida’s comprehensive
methodology now ensures that the data used to make clean up decisions are
scientifically verified, valid and current. DEP’s rotating basin approach
divides the state into 29 watersheds. Each year, DEP 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, and that, over time,
all waterways will be addressed in a holistic and systematic way.
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 water quality standards or if there was a
flaw in the initial listing. In the Group 5 basins, 104 waterbodies were removed
from the 1998 list because data indicate they are meeting water quality
standards. Those waters with insufficient data or information to determine their
current status remain on the impaired waters list for continued study.
What role did the public play?
DEP solicited public input on the draft Group 5 Basins list at six public
meetings in July 2006 and two additional meetings in October 2007. All meetings
were noticed in local newspapers and e-mails were sent to interested parties.
Approximately 100 individuals attended the initial six meetings held throughout
the state, many of whom provided written comments on the draft lists. In
response to public comments, the lists were updated and again made available for
public review in October 2007.
Is there additional opportunity for public comment on the final Group 5 list?
DEP’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.
How does this process restore Florida’s waters?
Identifying impaired waters is only the first step. Once a TMDL is developed
and adopted, DEP works with local stakeholders to develop a comprehensive
restoration plan for the waterbody. Cleaning up impaired waters requires the
participation and actions of local governments, businesses and citizens.
When will the list for the Florida Keys be adopted?
DEP anticipates completing the list evaluation process for the waters in the
Florida Keys early in 2008.
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