United States
Environmental Protection 0fficeofWater EPA 820 F 10 008
Agency	4305T	November 2010
Final Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's
Lakes and Flowing Waters
Summary
EPA has finalized strong standards to help
reduce water pollution that causes harmful algae
blooms -- the thick, green muck that fouls clear
water ~ which produce toxins harmful to
humans, animals and ecosystems across the state
of Florida. The blooms are caused by nitrogen
and phosphorus, called "nutrients," in
wastewater, urban stormwater runoff and excess
fertilizer which flow into waterways. The final
standards set specific or "numeric" limits, called
"criteria," on the amount of nutrient pollution
allowed in Florida's lakes, rivers, streams and
springs. This action seeks to improve water
quality and protect public health, aquatic life and
the long term recreational uses of Florida's
waters which are a critical part of the State's
economy. These standards will become effective
15 months from now, allowing cities, towns,
businesses and other stakeholders as well as the
State of Florida a full opportunity to review the
standards and develop flexible strategies for
implementation while Florida continues to
recover from the recent economic crisis.
Background
Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution also known
as "nutrient pollution" causes harmful algae
blooms which produce toxins harmful to both
humans and animals and deplete oxygen needed
for fish and shellfish survival, smother
vegetation and discolor water. It can also result
in the formation of byproducts in drinking water
from disinfection chemicals, some of which
have been linked with serious human illnesses.
Nutrient pollution originates from stormwater
runoff, municipal wastewater treatment,
fertilization of crops and livestock manure.
Nitrogen also forms from the burning of fossil
fuels, like gasoline.
lawsuit against EPA, following which EPA in
January 2009 made a determination under the
Clean Water Act that numeric nutrient standards
are needed in Florida. A consent decree settling
the lawsuit, entered into in August 2009,
requires EPA to adopt specific or "numeric"
nutrient pollution standards by November 2010.
On January 26, 2010, EPA published proposed
"Water Quality Standards for the State of
Florida's Lakes and Flowing Waters" (75 FR
4173). In developing the proposed criteria for
Florida's lakes and flowing waters, EPA utilized
extensive data provided by the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection
(FDEP) and utilized sound scientific approaches
that were independently peer-reviewed. EPA
conducted 13 well-attended public hearing
sessions in six cities in Florida and held a 90-day
public comment period inviting broad public
participation. The Agency received over 22,000
public comments on the proposal.
On August 3, 2010, EPA published a notice
supplementing the January 26, 2010 proposed
rule, based upon comments received during the
public comment period.
About this Regulation
In this rulemaking, EPA is promulgating final
numeric nutrient water quality standards for
lakes and springs throughout the State of Florida
and flowing waters outside of the South Florida
Region. The final standards set numeric limits
on the amount of nutrient pollution allowed in
Florida's inland waters. These standards will
become effective 15 months from now, allowing
cities, towns, businesses and other stakeholders
as well as the State of Florida a full opportunity
to review the standards and develop strategies
for implementation while Florida continues to
recover from the current economic crisis.
The Florida Wildlife Federation filed a 2008

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Criteria for Florida Streams
Additional Provisions
EPA is establishing five different watershed-
based regions within Florida with different total
nitrogen and phosphorus (TN and TP) criteria
for streams in each region. EPA evaluated
extensive biological information and data on the
levels of nutrients in relevant Florida streams
and derived standards based on nutrient
concentrations in least-disturbed streams that are
unimpaired for nutrients. This approach is
referred to as a reference approach.
Under the Clean Water Act, States designate and
EPA approves uses for different water bodies
(for example, contact recreation, or drinking
water supply). Water Quality Standards (WQS)
ensure that these uses are maintained. Sources
that discharge into streams must not only ensure
that WQS are maintained where they discharge,
but also that their discharges do not cause
pollution problems further downstream. This
rule will protect both rivers and streams, and
downstream lakes. In a later action, EPA will
establish rules to protect estuaries, following a
public peer review by EPA's Scientific Advisory
Board (SAB). These standards for coastal waters
must be promulgated by August 2012.
Criteria for Florida Lakes
EPA is classifying Florida's lakes into three
groups (colored, clear & alkaline, clear & acidic)
and assigning different values for total nitrogen
(TN), total phosphorus (TP) and chlorophyll a to
each lake group. The standards are based on the
biological response (chlorophyll a production) to
TN and TP levels in Florida's lakes. EPA
proposed the use of chlorophyll a concentration
as an indicator of a healthy biological condition,
supportive of natural balanced populations of
aquatic flora and fauna in each of the classes of
Florida's lakes. Excess algal growth is
associated with degradation in aquatic life, and
chlorophyll a levels are a measure of algal
growth.
Criteria for Florida Springs
Regarding numeric nutrient criteria for springs,
EPA is establishing a nitrate-nitrite criterion
based on experimental laboratory data and field
evaluations that document the response of
nuisance algae to nitrate-nitrite concentrations.
In addition to establishing final numeric nutrient
water quality standards for Florida, EPA is also
announcing a flexible approach for deriving
federal site-specific alternative criteria (SSAC)
based upon stakeholder submission of
scientifically defensible recalculations of
protective levels that meet the requirements of
CWA section 303(c).
This allows for case-by-case adjustments
depending on local environmental factors while
protecting water quality. Governments or other
stakeholders can seek site-specific consideration
in cases where water bodies have been
extensively assessed by the State and local
communities and effective measures are in place
to reduce nutrient pollution. Existing or new
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) targets
that differ from EPA's final criteria can be
submitted to EPA by Florida for consideration as
new or revised WQS and will be reviewed under
this SSAC process.
For More Information
Contact Danielle Salvaterra at (202) 564-1649 or
salvaterra.danielle@epa.gov. or visit
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/florida i
ndex.cfm.

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