Congressman Adam Putnam today said the Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to extend the comment period on proposed new water rules after a meeting this morning between members of the Florida congressional delegation and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. 

Jackson told the lawmakers she would extend the comment period for the proposed rules by 30 days, adding three more public hearings.  In addition she promised to “review the rigor of their science” and said she was open to third-party review of the rules said Putnam. In February, Putnam organized a letter from himself and 19 other members of the Florida Congressional delegation, including both senators, requesting an extension to the EPA’s comment period.

“This is good news and I welcome the Administrator’s decision,” said Putnam. “I hope this means the EPA will do a better job of listening to us. Florida is the only state in the nation facing these draconian rules, rules that were established in a judge’s chambers, not in a legislative body.”

The EPA’s rules would set strict numeric standards for nutrients running into Florida’s lakes, streams and coastal waters.  The regulations were prompted by a lawsuit filed by several environmental advocacy groups even though Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection was already working with EPA on tougher standards.  The lawsuit established even broader standards and an accelerated timeline that even the DEP and water management districts say are unreasonable.

Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) estimates the proposed rules would declare 80 percent of Florida’s most pristine rivers and streams “impaired,” and the regulation “has the potential to cause harm to economically important biological resources.” 

“Florida’s DEP says these rules will cost billions of dollars without yielding cleaner water,” said Putnam.  “Clearly we need to examine these rules more carefully and see if there isn’t a better way of reaching our common goals of cleaner waters without flawed science.”

Under EPA’s proposal, Putnam noted, “The average Floridian could be paying $700 a year more in utility fees according to a survey of nine state water utilities. Municipalities – that are already scraping by – will have to make cuts in other vital programs, raise taxes, or do both.  And businesses will see their costs skyrocket.  With double digit unemployment and state and local government budgets stretched thin, this couldn’t come at a worse time.”

A description of the nutrient standards issue by the University of Florida is available online at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/SS/SS52800.pdf

Since 2001, Putnam has represented Florida’s 12^th Congressional District, which includes most of Polk County and portions of Hillsborough and Osceola counties.