July 19, 2012

The Honorable Lisa Jackson, Administrator     The Honorable Nancy Sutley, Chair

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency             White House Council on Environmental Quality

Ariel Rios, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.        722 Jackson Place N.W.

Washington, DC 20004                                       Washington, DC 20506

Dear Administrator Jackson and Chair Sutley,

As leaders of the nation’s largest environmental organizations concerned with public health and clean water, we write you on behalf of our millions of members and supporters to urge you to protect Florida’s waters from toxic algae outbreaks and disapprove Florida’s proposed standards that fail to achieve that goal. This is both a regional and national imperative, as nitrogen and phosphorous pollution from sewage treatment plants, fertilizer and manure runoff, and other sources foul not only Florida’s waters but also rivers, streams, lakes, and beaches across the country.

Passage of the Clean Water Act forty years ago was one of the most important and popular environmental achievements in our history, creating a legacy of cleaner water in the United States. The growing numbers of toxic algae outbreaks in Florida and beyond demonstrates that the job of ending the pollution of the nation’s waters is still far from complete.  In Florida, 70 percent of freshwater springs have nutrient concentrations at least 500 percent higher than historic background concentrations.   Just last month, Northern Florida’s Santa Fe River experienced it’s first ever massive algae bloom along the most popular canoeing section of the river. Last month, Glades, Hendy, and Lee counties all issued public health advisories warning the public to stay out of the algae infested waters of the Caloosahatchee River in the southwest part of the state.

Reducing nutrient pollution is a critically important issue for the environmental community in Florida and it has been a long fought battle with polluting industries and their friends in state government to address it. EPA must act to protect Florida’s waters from toxic algae outbreaks to avoid economic impacts in addition to the environmental ones. Tourism at Florida’s famous beaches is vulnerable if swimming means risking respiratory distress from red tide toxins. Waterfront property owners are faced with “Algae Alert” signs warning people not to swim in, drink, or eat fish from those waters, or even let their pets near the water. People who swam, fished, and went boating in these lakes, rivers, and streams as children are shocked by their current condition.

At issue today is whether EPA will approve Florida’s state standards. Governor Scott’s administration is asking EPA to approve state rules written for the polluting industries.  While the state claims to have adopted EPA-approvable rules, it has not.

We understand that a great deal of lobbying pressure is being applied to get EPA to approve Florida’s standards.  We urge that you do not. At a minimum, EPA must look carefully at whether the state’s rules will meet acceptable pollution limits and protect Florida’s waters.

As the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act approaches, EPA is asking the public “Water, Is It Worth It?”  We believe the answer in Florida and across the country is a resounding “Yes.”  EPA can demonstrate its commitment to clean water by ending toxic algae pollution in Florida.   We urge you to protect America’s legacy of clean water so that future generations may benefit fromthese important resources.  .