The Florida Senate Environmental Preservation Committee listened to two top Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) officials as they explained the state's efforts on water quality and water supply. Drew Bartlett, who directs DEP's efforts on numeric nutrient criteria discussed the agency's draft rule that is being presented as an alternative to the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s promulgated criteria. Bartlett said the state plan is to hold workshops and then to decide whether to proceed with taking the rule to the Environmental Regulation Commission and the Legislature.
Janet Llewellyn, who directs state water supply policy, gave an overview of permitting and the relation of permitting to minimum flows and levels. She discussed current and projected water use and reviewed state and local strategies to meet future water demands, projected to grow by 1/3 to 8 billion gallons per day by 2030.
If
you would like to see the latest presentation by Janet Llewellyn, FDEP, Div of
Water Rsource management about Consumptive Use Permitting; copy and paste the
following link in your web browser.
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?PublicationType=Committees&CommitteeId=2654&Session=2012&DocumentType=Meeting Packets&FileName=Water_Mtg_9-21-11_Online.pdf
(Jackie’s comment: Here are another two bills that should raise a red flag to all Floridians:
CS/CS/HB 421 was introduced on behalf of two major landowners who were
caught destroying wetlands and altering surface water flows. The bill
retroactively allows water to be impeded or diverted for agricultural
activities regardless of harm to natural resources or downstream landowners. It
also allows developers to escape mitigation when converting agricultural land
to development.
HB 7207 was amended to pick up a controversial rewrite of growth
management legislation. The bill makes it easier for developers to amend local
land use plans, eliminates the important 9J-5 rule, diminishes need as a
condition of new growth, and removes the ability of communities to hold
referenda on comprehensive planning issues.
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