11-006137RP Florida Wildlife Federation, Inc.; Sierra Club, Inc.; Conservancy Of Southwest Florida, Inc.; Environmental Confederation Of Southwest Florida, Inc.; And St. Johns Riverkeeper, Inc. vs. Department Of Environmental Protection Status: Closed DOAH Final Order on Thursday, June 7, 2012.

Summary: Petitioners failed to prove the DEP's narrative nutrient rule was an invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority. DEP proved the proposed changes to chapters 62-302 & 62-303 were not invalid exercises of delegated legislative authority.

STATE OF FLORIDA

DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

)

FLORIDA WILDLIFE FEDERATION, )

INC.; SIERRA CLUB, INC.; )

CONSERVANCY OF SOUTHWEST )

FLORIDA, INC.; ENVIRONMENTAL )

CONFEDERATION OF SOUTHWEST )

FLORIDA, INC.; AND ST. JOHNS )

RIVERKEEPER, INC., )

)

Petitioners, )

) Case No. 11-6137RP

vs. )

)

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL )

PROTECTION, )

)

Respondent, )

)

and )

)

FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES; JAMES )

SARTORI; CLAY COUNTY UTILITY )

AUTHORITY; FLORIDA PULP & PAPER )

ASSOCIATION ENVIRONMENTAL )

AFFAIRS, INC.; DESTIN WATER )

USERS, INC.; SOUTH WALTON )

COUNTY UTILITY CO., INC.; )

EMERALD COAST UTILITIES )

AUTHORITY; SOUTH FLORIDA WATER )

MANAGEMENT DISTRICT; THE )

FLORIDA ELECTRIC POWER )

COORDINATING GROUP, INC.; )

FLORIDA FRUIT AND VEGETABLE )

ASSOCIATION; FLORIDA SUGAR CANE )

LEAGUE; AND FLORIDA STORMWATER )

ASSOCIATION, INC., )

Intervenors. )

)

)

Case No. 12-0157RP

)

)

FLORIDA WILDLIFE FEDERATION, )

INC.; SIERRA CLUB, INC.; )

CONSERVANCY OF SOUTHWEST )

FLORIDA, INC.; ENVIRONMENTAL )

CONFEDERATION OF SOUTHWEST )

FLORIDA, INC.; AND ST. JOHNS )

RIVERKEEPER, INC., )

Petitioners, )

)

vs. )

)

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL )

PROTECTION, )

)

Respondent, )

and )

)

FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES; JAMES )

SARTORI; CLAY COUNTY UTILITY )

AUTHORITY; FLORIDA PULP & PAPER )

ASSOCIATION ENVIRONMENTAL )

AFFAIRS, INC.; DESTIN WATER )

USERS, INC.; SOUTH WALTON )

COUNTY UTILITY CO., INC.; )

EMERALD COAST UTILITIES )

AUTHORITY; SOUTH FLORIDA WATER )

MANAGEMENT DISTRICT; THE )

FLORIDA ELECTRIC POWER )

COORDINATING GROUP, INC.; )

FLORIDA FRUIT AND VEGETABLE )

ASSOCIATION; FLORIDA SUGAR CANE )

LEAGUE; AND FLORIDA STORMWATER )

ASSOCIATION, INC., )

)

Intervenors. )

_______________________________ )

FINAL ORDER

The final hearing in this case was held on February 27–29

and March 1-2 and 5, 2012, in Tallahassee, Florida, before

Bram D. E. Canter, Administrative Law Judge of the Division of

Administrative Hearings (“DOAH”).

APPEARANCES

For Petitioners: David G. Guest, Esquire

Monica K. Reimer, Esquire

Alisa A. Coe, Esquire

Earthjustice

111 South Martin Luther King,

Jr., Boulevard

Tallahassee, Florida 32301-1451

For Respondent: W. Douglas Beason, Esquire

Stacey D. Cowley, Esquire

Kenneth B. Hayman, Esquire

Department of Environmental Protection

Douglas Building, Mail Station 35

3900 Commonwealth Boulevard

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000

For Intervenor South Florida Water Management District:

Susan Roeder Martin, Esquire

South Florida Water Management District

3301 Gun Club Road, Mail Stop 1410

West Palm Beach, Florida 33406-3007

For Intervenor Clay County Utility Authority:

Frederick L. Aschauer, Jr., Esquire

Diane Demor, Esquire

Sundstrom, Friedman & Fumero, LLP

2548 Blairstone Pines Drive

Tallahassee, Florida 32301

For Intervenor Florida Sugar Cane League:

Luna E. Phillips, Esquire

Rick J. Burgess, Esquire

Gunster, Yoakley and Stewart, P.A.

450 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 1400

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301-4206

Matthew P. Coglianese, Esquire

Gabriel E. Nieto, Esquire

Rasco, Klock, Reininger, Perez, Esquenazi,

Vigil & Nieto

283 Catalonia Avenue, Second Floor

Coral Gables, Florida 33134

For Intervenors Florida Pulp and Paper Association

Environmental Affairs, Inc., and Florida Fruit and

Vegetable Association, Inc.:

Terry Cole, Esquire

Gunster, Yoakley and Stewart, P.A.

215 South Monroe Street, Suite 601

Tallahassee, Florida 32301

For Intervenors Destin Water Users, Inc., South Walton

County Utility Co. Inc., Emerald Coast Utilities Authority,

Florida League of Cities, James Sartori, and Florida

Stormwater Association:

Kenneth G. Oertel, Esquire

Jeff Brown, Esquire

Oertel, Fernandez, Cole and Bryant, P.A.

301 South Bronough Street

Post Office Box 1110

Tallahassee, Florida 32302-1110

For Intervenor Florida Electric Power Coordinating Group,

Inc., Environmental Committee:

Winston Kirk Borkowski, Esquire

David W. Childs, Esquire

Hopping, Green and Sams

119 South Monroe Street, Suite 300

Post Office Box 6526

Tallahassee, Florida 32301

STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES

The issues to be determined in these consolidated cases are

whether existing Florida Administrative Code Rule

62-302.530(47)(b) of the Department of Environmental Protection

("Department"), referred to as the "narrative nutrient rule," is

an invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority, and

whether certain proposed rules of the Department, which amend

Florida Administrative Code Chapters 62-302, entitled “Surface

Water Quality Standards” and 62-303, entitled “Identification of

Impaired Surface Waters,” are invalid exercises of delegated

legislative authority.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

On March 1, 1979, the Department adopted a narrative water

quality criterion for nutrients in Florida waters, codified as

rule 62-302.530(47)(b). On November 10, 2011, the Department

published in the Florida Administrative Weekly ("FAW") notices

of its proposal to adopt rules amending chapters 62-302 and 62-

303 related to the regulation of nutrients in surface waters.

On December 1, 2011, a petition challenging the proposed rules,

as well as existing rule 62-302.530(47)(b), as invalid exercises

of delegated legislative authority was filed by Florida Wildlife

Federation; Sierra Club, Inc.; Conservancy of Southwest Florida,

Inc.; Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida, Inc.;

and St. Johns Riverkeeper, Inc. The petition was assigned DOAH

Case No. 11-6137RP.

On December 8, 2011, the Environmental Regulation

Commission (“ERC”) approved the proposed rules for adoption,

with some changes and additions. On December 22, 2011, the

Department published a Notice of Change in the FAW. On

January 11, 2012, Petitioners filed a second petition

challenging the proposed rules as amended. This second petition

was assigned DOAH Case No. 12-0157RP. On January 12, 2012,

Petitioners filed a Corrected Petition in DOAH Case No. 12-

0157RP.

The cases were consolidated for hearing. Petitions to

intervene in support of the validity of the existing and

proposed rules were filed by: Florida League of Cities;

James Sartori; Clay County Utility Authority; Florida Pulp &

Paper Association Environmental Affairs, Inc.; Destin Water

Users, Inc.; South Walton County Utility Co., Inc.; Emerald

Coast Utilities Authority; South Florida Water Management

District ("SFWMD"); the Florida Electric Power Coordinating

Group, Inc.; Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association; Florida

Sugar Cane League; and Florida Stormwater Association, Inc.

These petitions to intervene were granted.

The Department filed a Motion for Summary Final Order in

DOAH Case No. 12-0157RP. The motion was denied, but a ruling

was made that the proposed exclusion of certain waterbodies from

the proposed numeric nutrient criteria does not constitute a

change in the designated uses of the excluded waters. The

Department later moved to dismiss Case No. 12-0157RP and for a

motion in limine directed to all the challenged rules. These

motions were denied. Florida Electric Power Coordinating

Group’s motion for summary final order regarding Petitioners’

challenge to the existing nutrient criterion in Case No. 11-

6137RP was denied.

On February 17, 2012, the Department filed a Notice of

Technical Change Regarding Law Implemented For Existing and

Proposed Rules Under Challenge. The change replaced a reference

to section 403.021, Florida Statutes, in the “Law Implemented”

section of the existing and proposed rules with section

403.021(11).

At the final hearing, Petitioners presented the testimony

of: Dr. Brian Lapointe, Ph.D., accepted as an expert in marine

nutrification; Dr. Joann Burkholder, Ph.D., accepted as an

expert in nutrient pollution in marine, fresh and estuarine

systems; and Allen Stewart, P.E., accepted as an expert in

restoration of nutrient-impacted waters. Petitioners also

presented the testimony of Darina Palacio as an authentication

witness. Petitioners' Exhibits 100, 104, 111, 118, 136, 138,

142-143, 148, 161, 162, 165, 184-187, 324-328, 517, 712, and 717

were accepted into evidence. Petitioners' Exhibits 162A and 296

were placed in the record as proffers, but were not accepted

into evidence.

The Department presented the testimony of: Drew Bartlett,

accepted as an expert in water quality standards, water quality

assessment and restoration; Daryll Joyner, accepted as an expert

in water quality standards, water quality assessment, and water

quality restoration; Russell Frydenborg, accepted as an expert

in water quality standards and their derivation, aquatic

ecosystems, biological assessment metrics and their derivation,

and related statistical analyses; and Kenneth Weaver, accepted

as an expert in surface water quality standards and statistics.

Department Exhibits 400-402, 402A, 403, 403A, 404, 404A, 405,

405A, 406-424, 447, 454-458, and 464-468 were accepted into

evidence.

Intervenor SFWMD presented the testimony of Dr. Christopher

Madden, Ph.D., accepted as an expert in the ecology, health,

water quality, flora, fauna and status of Florida Bay and

Biscayne Bay and computer modeling of the two bays. SFWMD

Exhibits 650-652, 654, and 659-660 were accepted into evidence.

Intervenor Florida Electric Power Coordinating Group, Inc.,

presented the testimony of Dr. Robert Weisberg, Ph.D., accepted

as an expert in oceanography. FCG Exhibits 700-701, and 709

were accepted into evidence.

Intervenor Clay County Utility Authority presented the

deposition transcript testimony of Dr. David Dilks, which was

accepted into evidence as CCUA Exhibit 626.

Intervenor Florida Sugar Cane League Exhibit 510 was

accepted into evidence.

Official recognition was of: the United States

Environmental Protection Agency's January 14, 2009 "Necessity

Determination"; its November 10, 2011 "Final Rule on Numeric

Nutrient Criteria for Florida's Flowing Waters and Lakes"; and

40 CFR Part 131, dated December 6, 2010.

The 10-volume Transcript of the hearing was filed with

DOAH. Petitioners filed a joint proposed final order. The

Department and SFWMD filed a joint proposed final order. The

remaining Intervenors filed a joint proposed final order and

memorandum of law that adopted the Department’s and SFWMD’s

proposed final order. Petitioners subsequently filed a Notice

of Errata and a revised proposed final order. The proposed

orders were carefully considered in the preparation of this

Final Order.

FINDINGS OF FACT

A. The Parties

1. Petitioner, Florida Wildlife Federation ("FWF"), is a

Florida not-for-profit corporation with its headquarters in

Tallahassee, Florida. FWF has approximately 14,000 members

throughout the State. Its mission includes the preservation,

management, and improvement of Florida’s water resources and its

fish and wildlife habitat.

2. Petitioner Sierra Club, Inc., is a non-profit public

benefit corporation with its principal place of business in San

Francisco, California. It has approximately 30,000 members

living in Florida. Sierra Club’s mission is to explore, enjoy,

and protect wilderness and to educate the public to protect and

restore the quality of the environment.

3. Petitioner, The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Inc.,

is a Florida non-profit corporation with its primary place of

business in Naples, Florida. It has approximately 6,000 members

residing in Florida. The Conservancy is devoted to protecting

the land, water, and wildlife of Southwest Florida.

4. Petitioner, Environmental Confederation of Southwest

primary place of business in Sarasota, Florida. ECOSWF has

approximately 50 members consisting of other organizations and

individuals living in Southwest Florida. ECOSWF focuses its

efforts on protecting the environment of Southwest Florida,

including Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Lee, Manatee, and Sarasota

Counties.

5. Petitioner, St. Johns Riverkeeper, Inc., is a Florida

non-profit corporation with its primary place of business in

Jacksonville, Florida. St. Johns Riverkeeper has over 1,000

members who use and enjoy the waters of the St. Johns River

watershed for boating, fishing, and observing birds and other

wildlife.

6. A substantial number of the members of each of the

Petitioners use and enjoy water bodies throughout the state for

a variety of purposes, including wading, walking, swimming,

canoeing, sailing, sport boating, wildlife observation,

photography, personal and commercial research, sport and

commercial fishing, and collecting aquatic life for personal and

commercial consumption.

7. The Department is the state agency authorized under

section 403.061(10) and (11), Florida Statutes, to establish

water quality standards. The Department is also authorized

under section 403.067(3) to adopt assessment methodologies for

determining whether water quality criteria are being attained in

a particular waterbody.

8. Intervenors, Florida Electric Power Coordinating Group,

Inc., Environmental Committee, Florida League of Cities, Florida

Pulp & Paper Association, Environmental Affairs, Inc.. Florida

Fruit and Vegetable Association, Inc., Florida Stormwater

Association, Inc., and Florida Sugar Cane League, Inc., are

organizations with a substantial number of members who are

subject to the challenged rules.

9. Intervenors, Clay County Utility Authority, Destin

Water Users, Inc., South Walton County Utility Co., and Emerald

Coast Utilities serve water and/or wastewater customers. They

operate wastewater treatment plants that are subject to the

challenged rules.

10. Intervenor, James Sartori, is a farmer whose

operations in Brevard and Highlands Counties are subject to the

challenged rules.

11. Intervenor, SFWMD, is a regional governmental agency

that oversees water resources, including water quality

regulation, in the southern half of the state. The existing

nutrient rule is incorporated by reference into the District’s

Environmental Resource Permitting Program and the proposed rules

would be incorporated by reference as well.

12. The parties stipulated in their prehearing stipulation

to additional facts regarding each party's substantial interests

in the challenged rules.

B. Background

13. Florida’s surface water quality standards have four

components: designated uses; water quality criteria; an

antidegradation policy; and moderating provisions. Fla. Admin.

Code R. 62-302.200(31).

14. Surface waters are assigned one of six designated use

classifications:

Class I: potable water supplies

Class II: shellfish propagation or

harvesting

Class III: fish consumption, recreation,

propagation and maintenance of a healthy,

well-balanced population of fish and

wildlife

Class III-Limited: fish consumption,

recreation or limited recreation, and/or

propagation and maintenance of a limited

population of fish and wildlife

Class IV: agricultural water supplies

Class V: navigation, utility and industrial

use

15. The "default" designation for surface waters is Class

III. Unless otherwise specified by rule, all waterbodies are

Class III waters.

16. The existing and proposed nutrient criteria apply to

Class I, II, and III surface waters.

17. A definition for "nutrient" is included in proposed

rule 62-302.200(22) and is not challenged by Petitioners:

"Nutrient" shall mean total nitrogen (TN),

total phosphorus (TP), or their organic or

inorganic forms.

18. Phosphorus and nitrogen are among the most common

elements in the natural environment. All forms of life must use

nitrogen and phosphorus to build their cells and to carry out

basic metabolic processes.

19. Florida's natural features, including flat topography,

wetlands, warm and humid climate, nutrient-rich soils, and

tropical storms and hurricanes are conducive to nutrient over-

enrichment. Under natural conditions, episodic nutrient loading

is not a problem. Short-term excesses are usually assimilated

in the ecosystem by aquatic food webs without causing an

imbalance in natural populations of aquatic flora and fauna.

20. Human-influenced (anthropogenic) nutrient loading is

the cause of long-term imbalances in aquatic flora and fauna.

The principal anthropogenic sources of nutrients are

fertilizers, domestic wastewater, and livestock waste. The

contribution of nutrients to Florida's surface waters from

anthropogenic sources has been increasing.

21. Excess nutrient loading over long periods of time

usually increases the number of macrophytes, macroalgae, and

phytoplankton. Their excess growth can reduce light penetration

and the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water column, which

are fundamental to the health of other aquatic flora and fauna.

A substantial increase in these organisms can lead to a decrease

or loss of other species. Nutrient-sensitive species are

reduced or eliminated. Nutrient-tolerant species dominate.

These conditions represent the imbalance that is referred to

throughout this Final Order.

22. Once an imbalance occurs, it is difficult to restore

the balance.

23. In 1979, the Department described nutrient pollution

as "one of the most severe water quality problems facing the

State." Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-302.300(13). In the same year,

the "narrative nutrient criterion" was adopted. It has not

changed since 1979. It is now codified as rule 62-

302.530(47)(b):

In no case shall nutrient concentrations of

a body of water be altered so as to cause an

imbalance in natural populations of aquatic

flora or fauna.

24. Similar narrative nutrient criteria have been adopted

in other states. However, nutrient pollution in Florida and

nationwide has worsened due primarily to steady increases in

human population and development.

25. In 1998, the United States Environmental Protection

Agency ("EPA") expressed its expectation that all states would

adopt numeric nutrient criteria by December 31, 2003. Although

the Department spent millions of dollars studying the problem in

Florida and trying to devise numeric criteria, another decade

passed without the adoption of numeric criteria.

26. In 2008, the Department reported to the EPA that 1,049

miles of streams, 349,248 acres of lakes, and 902 square miles

of estuaries were impaired as a result of excess nutrients.

Florida's springs were also showing increased nutrients.

27. The Department reported a new concern regarding

harmful algal blooms, which are blooms of such high

concentration and/or areal extent that they adversely affect

other aquatic flora and fauna. Toxic algae can be injurious to

human health. Cyanobacteria can produce various kinds of toxins

including hepatotoxins that affect the liver and can cause liver

hemorrhaging, disease and death in wildlife and humans, renal

toxins that affect the kidneys, dermatotoxins that cause skin

problems such as lesions or blistering, and neurotoxins that

interfere with nerve-impulse transmission causing spasms,

convulsions, paralysis, and death. Together, these algal toxins

are known as “cyanotoxins.” Red tide, a kind of dinoflagellate,

can produce brevotoxins, which can cause respiratory distress

when aerolized by wind and wave action.

28. The Florida Department of Health and its associated

County Health Departments periodically issue health alert

warnings about toxic algal blooms.

29. In January 2009, the EPA determined that numeric

nutrient criteria are necessary for Florida to meet the

requirements of the Clean Water Act. EPA determined that

"Florida's narrative nutrient criterion alone is not sufficient

to protect applicable designated uses, and that numeric nutrient

criteria are necessary."

30. On December 6, 2010, EPA published in the Federal

Register proposed numeric nutrient criteria for Florida.

31. EPA's 2009 determination that numeric criteria are

necessary for Florida and its 2010 proposed numeric criteria

were challenged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern

District of Florida and consolidated in Fla. Wildlife Fed., Inc.

v. U.S. EPA , WL 537529, *35 (N.D. Fla. 2012). On February 18,

2012, Judge Hinkle issued his decision upholding the EPA

determination and EPA’s numeric nutrient criteria for lakes and

springs. EPA's stream criteria and downstream protection values

for unimpaired lakes were overturned. Id.

C. The Narrative Nutrient Criterion

32. The narrative criterion in rule 62-302.530(47)(b) is

not being replaced by the proposed rules. It will remain in

effect because the proposed rules are intended by the Department

to be "numeric interpretations" of the narrative criterion.

33. The narrative criterion is not in the usual form for

Florida's water quality criteria. The vast majority of water

quality criteria are stated as specific concentrations of

chemical constituents that represent a good condition for the

waterbody. If these concentrations are not exceeded, the

waterbody is not polluted and its designated uses are protected.

The narrative nutrient criterion, on the other hand, describes a

bad condition that is prohibited.

34. However, the narrative nutrient criterion is not the

only narrative water quality criterion or the only criterion

that describes a bad condition that is prohibited. For example,

the so-called "free-from rule," rule 62-302.500, states that all

surface waters shall be free from discharges of substances that

create a nuisance or that are present in concentrations that are

acutely toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic to human

beings or to significant wildlife.

35. Petitioners contend that the narrative nutrient

criterion is arbitrary and capricious because it "illogically

and irrationally attempts to protect . . . waters from adverse

impacts of nutrient pollution with a criterion that is reactive

rather [than] preventative." By "reactive" Petitioners mean

that an imbalance in natural populations of aquatic flora and

fauna must occur before the criterion is violated and the

Department can or will react to do something about the

violation, which Petitioners say is too late.

36. On its face, there is nothing illogical or irrational

about the narrative criterion. There is nothing about the plain

and ordinary meanings of the words used in the rule that make

the rule illogical or irrational. The narrative criterion

expressly prohibits nutrient pollution, a prohibition which the

Petitioners are all for.

37. At its core, Petitioners' argument is that the

narrative criterion does not work. Petitioners' argument seems

to draw on common sense; if there has been widespread nutrient

pollution in Florida waters, then the Department's water quality

criterion for nutrients is not preventing pollution. However,

proving that nutrient pollution has not been prevented is not

the same thing as proving that the narrative criterion is the

cause.

38. Petitioners' evidence was not sufficient to

demonstrate, for example, that in the absence of the narrative

criterion, there would have been less nutrient pollution in

Florida. The more persuasive evidence is that the narrative

criterion has some beneficial effect in controlling nutrient

pollution. The narrative criterion has been used, for example,

to limit nutrient discharges in permits issued by the

Department.

39. Two important factors must be accounted for when

considering the nutrient pollution problems in Florida. First,

much of the human-induced nutrient loading into surface waters

is not regulated by the Department. Nutrient contributions from

most agricultural operations and from septic tanks, for example,

are not regulated by the Department, but by other governmental

entities. These and other human activities that contribute

nutrients to surface waters do not involve any required analysis

of how the nutrient loading may affect the balance of natural

populations of aquatic flora and fauna in the receiving waters.

They do not even involve notice to the Department.

40. There is more support in the record for the

proposition that nutrient pollution in Florida is caused by a

fragmented and uncoordinated regulatory system than for

Petitioners' proposition that nutrient pollution is due to the

Department's narrative criterion. Petitioners did not show that

numeric criteria, alone, can prevent nutrient pollution in

Florida.

41. Second, the effect of nutrients on aquatic flora and

fauna is an extremely complicated subject. Nutrients occur

naturally in surface waters and their concentrations vary

naturally. The effects of nutrients on flora and fauna are

dependent on many physical, chemical, and biological variables

and these effects differ greatly between types of waterbodies

(for example, streams and lakes or fresh and marine waters) as

well as geographically.

42. Algal blooms can occur naturally, independent of any

anthropogenic influence. Sporadic algal blooms are part of the

natural flora of an aquatic ecosystem. Algal bloom dynamics are

complex and are not completely understood. Whether a bloom will

produce cyanotoxins in concentrations that could be harmful to

public health cannot be predicted.

43. Most water quality criteria are based on toxicity,

which can be identified by a dose-response test. Most criteria

are set at concentrations below the levels at which adverse

effects are observed in test organisms. That approach cannot be

used for nutrients because TN and TP can cause an imbalance in

aquatic ecosystems at concentrations well below their toxic

levels.

44. Although many general concepts associated with the

effects of nutrients in surface waters are understood in the

scientific community, there are important aspects that are still

a matter of conjecture and debate. Pristine or severely

degraded conditions in a particular waterbody associated with

nutrient concentrations can be identified and described with

relative ease. However, the current science does not provide a

widely-applicable tipping point beyond which the natural balance

of flora and fauna is upset or jeopardized.

45. Over the last several years, considerable scientific

research, analysis, and debate have been dedicated to the

purpose of designing nutrient criteria to better protect

designated uses. However, the overarching goal of preventing an

imbalance in natural populations of aquatic flora and fauna has

not been abandoned. Petitioners' witnesses said nothing to

suggest that it is the wrong goal. The narrative criterion

expresses this universally accepted goal.

46. Petitioners failed to prove that the narrative

nutrient criterion is not designed to control and prohibit

nutrient pollution. The record shows that there are more

effective criteria that the Department can use to assess

nutrient impacts and protect designated uses, such as those

criteria in the proposed rules that are also challenged by

Petitioners.

47. Because the narrative criterion will be "interpreted"

with numeric criteria for many waterbodies, Petitioners'

challenge is more precisely a question of whether the narrative

nutrient criterion is an invalid exercise of delegated

legislative authority in the context of its application to

intermittent streams, wetlands, and other surface waters for

which only the narrative criterion will be applicable.

48. Due to insufficient data and scientific knowledge, the

Department is not yet able to adopt numeric criteria for

intermittent streams, wetlands, and the other surface waters to

which only the narrative criterion will apply. Petitioners did

not prove that any of the surface waters excluded from the

proposed numeric criteria are sources of drinking water or that

there are human health hazards associated with toxic algae in

these surface waters.

49. Petitioners failed to prove by a preponderance of the

evidence that the narrative criterion contravenes the law

implemented or is arbitrary or capricious.

D. Chapter 62-302, "Surface Water Quality Standards"

1. General

50. The proposed rules are lengthy and need not be

reproduced in this Final Order. They are contained in

Petitioners' Exhibit 712. 1/

51. The proposed numeric criteria were developed in a

deliberative process which involved considerable study over many

years and input from numerous scientists. The record details

these efforts, but it was not a matter of dispute, so it is not

detailed here. It suffices to say that the Department's

rulemaking effort was unusual in terms of time, cost, numbers of

scientists involved, and the comprehensiveness of the

investigations that were undertaken and the data that were

reviewed.

52. The Department's position on disputed factual issues

was supported by expert testimony, reports, graphs, and data

summaries generated by investigations that involved many

scientists focused on the specific objective of developing

nutrient criteria. In contrast, Petitioners' position was

usually supported only by expert opinions that were based on

data collected for different purposes and not presented or made

a part of the record.

2. Rule 62-300.200, "Definitions"

53. Petitioners object to the proposed definition of

"stream" in rule 62-300.200(36) because it excludes "non-

perennial water segments." Petitioners referred to these waters

as "intermittent streams." Petitioners contend that the

exclusion of intermittent streams contravenes section

403.061(11), Florida Statutes, which requires the Department to

establish water quality standards for all waters. Section

403.061(11) authorizes the Department to establish water quality

standards "for the state as a whole or for any part of the

state," but Petitioners argue that this language does not allow

the Department to exclude from protection certain "types" of

waters, such as intermittent streams.

54. The proposed definition of stream is "for purposes of

interpreting the narrative nutrient criterion" through use of

the numeric criteria in rule 62-302.531(2)(c). The exclusion of

intermittent streams from the definition of "stream" means that

the numeric criteria will not apply to intermittent streams, but

the narrative nutrient criterion remains applicable to them.

55. The authority to establish water quality standards for

"any part of" the state is reasonably interpreted by the

Department to allow it to establish water quality standards for

specific waterbodies because each waterbody is located in a

different part of the state. It is also reasonable for the

Department to establish different water quality criteria for

waterbodies that have different characteristics. Although

Petitioners emphasize what is similar about perennial and non-

perennial streams, there are also differences between them

related to nutrient levels and biological responses.

56. It is not irrational for the Department to apply its

new numeric criteria only to those streams for which it has

sufficient data and understanding with respect to the response

of flora and fauna to nutrients. Petitioners did not show that

there are numeric nutrient criteria that would work well for all

intermittent streams.

57. Petitioners object to parts of the definitions for

"Lake Vegetation Index," "Nutrient Threshold," and "Stream

Condition Index," but these objections were not raised in their

petitions. Petitioners did not show how these definitions

somehow fail to accurately describe the terms.

3. Rule 62-302.531,

"Numeric Interpretations of Narrative Nutrient Criteria"

58. The numeric criteria form what the Department calls a

hierarchy of interpretations of the narrative criterion.

Hierarchy 1 interpretations are the Total Maximum Daily Loads

quality criteria for nutrients that the Department has already

established for specific waterbodies. See (proposed) Fla. Admin

Code R. 62-302.531(2)(a).

59. The Department is proposing new Hierarchy 1

interpretations for six Florida estuaries in proposed rule

62-302.532. Each estuary would have its own nutrient criteria.

60. Hierarchy 2 interpretations are numeric criteria that

are proposed for a category of waters based on the Department's

determination that a quantifiable cause and effect relationship

exists between nutrient levels and biological responses in such

waters. Hierarchy 2 criteria are proposed in rule

62-302.531(2)(b)1. and 2. for lakes and springs.

61. Hierarchy 3 interpretations are proposed for streams

because the Department was unable to find statistically

significant cause-and-effect relationships that can be applied

generally to streams. The criteria in proposed rule

62-302.531(2)(c) establish a process for evaluating individual

streams on a case-by-case basis, using numeric thresholds and

biological data to determine whether they are meeting the

narrative nutrient criterion.

62. For categories of waters that the Department has not

yet been able to devise a reliable numeric criterion or system

of evaluation, no new criteria are being proposed. The

narrative nutrient criterion will continue to apply to these

categories, which include wetlands, certain estuaries,

intermittent streams, and streams within the South Florida

Watershed Region.

a. Lakes

63. The Department’s numeric nutrient criteria for lakes

are based on chlorophyll a levels. Chlorophyll a is an

indicator of algal biomass and is correlated with nutrient

concentrations.

64. The proposed criteria differentiate clear lakes,

colored lakes with low alkalinity, and colored lakes with high

alkalinity. The Department proposes a standard of 20 micrograms

per liter (µg/L) of chlorophyll a in colored lakes and in clear

lakes with high alkalinity. For clear lakes with low

alkalinity, the numeric criterion is 6 µg/L chlorophyll a . See

(proposed) Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-302.531(2)(b)1.

65. The Department established a range of TN and TP

concentrations that corresponded to the chlorophyll a levels.

For example, 20 µg/L chlorophyll a for colored lakes corresponds

to a TN range of 1.27 milligrams per liter (mg/L) to 2.23 mg/L.

Id.

66. If the chlorophyll a concentration in a lake does not

exceed the chlorophyll a value in the rule, and the TN and TP

concentrations in the lake do not exceed the maximum TN and TP

values in the rule, the lake is deemed be achieving a balance in

natural populations of aquatic flora and fauna. If the

chlorophyll a concentration in a lake exceeds the value in the

rule, but the TN and TP concentrations in the lake do not exceed

the minimum TN and TP values in the rule, the lake is still

deemed to be healthy. If the chlorophyll a concentration in a

lake exceeds the value in the rule and the TN or TP

concentrations in the lake also exceed the minimum TN or TP

values in the rule, then the lake nutrient criteria (and the

narrative nutrient criterion) are not achieved.

67. These values in the rule for chlorophyll a , TN, and TP

refer to the annual geometric mean of concentrations from at

least four water samples. Compliance with the criteria is

achieved by having no more than one exceedance in a three-year

period. These same sampling and compliance requirements appear

in other parts of the proposed rules and Petitioners' objections

to these requirements are addressed later under a separate

heading.

b. Springs

68. As with lakes, the Department found a strong

correlation between nutrient levels and algal growth in springs.

Proposed rule 62-302.531(2)(b)2. establishes the numeric

interpretation of the narrative nutrient criteria for Florida

springs as 0.35 mg/L of nitrate-nitrite (annual geometric mean).

c. Streams

69. Because no consistent cause and effect relationship

was found between nutrients and biological responses in streams,

the Department developed "threshold values" for TN and TP.

These values are used in the evaluation of a stream. They are

not used as values that cannot be exceeded.

70. The threshold nutrient values are derived from data

for “benchmark" streams that are minimally disturbed. The

benchmark streams were grouped according to geographic regions

because streams differ from region to region. For each region,

threshold TP and TN values were derived.

71. However, for streams in the South Florida Watershed

Region, the data were inadequate to develop threshold nutrient

values. The narrative criterion, alone, will apply to those

streams.

72. The nutrient criteria for streams are achieved if

chlorophyll a levels, algal mats or blooms, nuisance macrophyte

growth, and changes in algal species composition indicates no

imbalances in flora and fauna, and either the stream has a high

Stream Condition Index (SCI) score, which is a measure of

biological health based on benthic macroinvertebrates, or the

nutrient thresholds in the rule are achieved. See (proposed)

Fla. Admin Code R. 62-302.531(2)(c).

73. A stream with imbalanced flora and fauna would fail to

achieve the streams nutrient criteria even if TN and TP

concentrations are below the TN and TP benchmark thresholds. On

the other hand, if nutrient concentrations exceed the TN and TP

thresholds, a stream could still achieve the streams criteria if

natural populations of flora and fauna are well-balanced, as

shown by the floral evaluation and SCI score. These rule

outcomes reflect the Department's determination that nutrient

levels in streams, will not always correspond to floral and

faunal health.

74. Petitioners object to the use of the SCI because they

say it is primarily a measure of biological responses to human

disturbance and not specifically to nutrient pollution.

However, the SCI provides information about faunal health and,

therefore, has a direct bearing on whether there is an imbalance

of natural populations of aquatic fauna.

75. Petitioners object to the proposed use of the SCI

because they say it is not a good test for the presence of algal

toxins because not all macroinvertebrates are sensitive to algal

toxins. However, the SCI is only one part of the streams

criteria. The evidence shows that the streams criteria, taken

as a whole, are reasonably designed to evaluate the presence and

significance of algae.

76. Petitioners also object to the streams criteria

because the floral component of the criteria requires an

imbalance before the stream will be deemed to not achieve the

criteria, which Petitioners contend is not protective. The

argument presumes that there exists a numeric criterion that, if

achieved, would always indicate a healthy ecosystem, and if

exceeded, would always indicate an unhealthy ecosystem.

Petitioners failed to prove the existence of such a criterion.

77. In determining the validity of EPA's proposed nutrient

criteria for Florida's streams, Judge Hinkle stated that the

"right target" for the numeric criteria was a value that would

create an imbalance in flora or fauna.

d. Summary

78. The Department proved by a preponderance of the

evidence that the proposed numeric criteria for lakes, springs,

and streams are reasonably designed to prevent pollution and

protect their designated uses.

4. Sample Size and Exceedance Frequency

79. The Department established minimum data requirements

in the proposed rules for the calculation of annual geometric

mean values for TP, TN, and chlorophyll a. The proposed rules

require that the geometric mean be calculated from at least four

water samples in a calendar year, with at least one sample

collected between May 1 and September 30 and at least one sample

taken during the other months of the calendar year. The

criteria are achieved if there is no more than one exceedance of

the geometric mean in a three-year period.

80. Petitioners contend that these proposed sampling and

compliance criteria are arbitrary and capricious and contravene

law because more samples are needed to generate a reliable

geometric mean and more samples should be required during the

period May through September because that is when algal blooms

occur most frequently. Petitioners believe that prevention of

algal blooms should be the primary objective of the numeric

criteria.

81. Petitioners' objections reflect a misunderstanding

about the source of the data. For example, Petitioners contend

in their proposed final order that "[a] rule which requires that

only one chlorophyll a sample be collected during the algae

season is scientifically irrational," but there is no such

requirement in the proposed rules. Petitioners object to the

"required sampling regime," but there is no required sampling

regime. The proposed rules do not deal with sample collection.

82. Sampling requirements are normally associated with

permits and the proposed rules do not address permits or permit

requirements for nutrient discharges. The proposed rules do not

limit the Department's authority to require permittees who have

nutrient discharges to collect more than four samples annually

and more than one sample during the period May through

September.

83. Nor do the proposed rules limit the number of water

samples above four that may be used to calculate the annual

geometric mean. If more than four data points exist, then more

than four data points will be used to calculate the geometric

mean. If more than one sample is available from the period May

through September, then more than one sample from this period

will be used in the calculation of the geometric mean (as long

as there are at least three samples available from other

months).

84. The proposed rules do not tell anyone to collect fewer

samples than are being collected currently. The proposed rules

reflect the fundamental fact that data are limited. The

majority of water quality sampling is performed voluntarily by

entities other than the Department, primarily by local and

regional governments. Most waterbodies are not sampled on a

monthly basis.

85. There are limited data available to determine

achievement of any nutrient criterion. The proposed rules

simply specify that at least four water samples must be used for

this purpose, one of which must have been taken in the period

May through September.

86. Petitioners' expert witness, Dr. Burkholder, offered a

hypothetical example of a lake with four chlorophyll a samples

that would generate a geometric mean indicating that the lake is

balanced even though one of the values is high enough to

indicate the presence of an algal bloom and a potential

imbalance in aquatic flora or fauna.

87. If the proposed rules required the geometric mean to

be calculated with at least 5 nutrient samples, then this

hypothetical lake would have no geometric mean to calculate or

consider. If the proposed rules required 10 or 12 data points

to calculate the geometric mean and three or four samples from

the period May through September, as recommended by

Dr. Burkholder, many waterbodies could not be assessed.

88. Dr. Burkholder suggested that it is better to have no

information for a waterbody than to have limited information

that may erroneously indicate a waterbody is healthy when it is

actually unhealthy. Dr. Burkholder did not quantify the

probability of this "false negative." The Department's

statistical analysis showed that it is insignificant.

89. The Department chose the minimum sample size that its

statistical analysis showed would be reasonable for the intended

purpose so that it could assess more waterbodies. That choice

is as much a matter of policy as of science.

90. Algal blooms, even toxic algal blooms, occur naturally

in the absence of human influence. Therefore, it is reasonable

for the Department to avoid equating an algal bloom to an

imbalance in natural populations of aquatic flora or fauna. The

allowance for one exceedance in a three-year period accounts for

natural fluctuations in nutrient levels.

91. The Department's statistical analysis showed that, in

order to meet the 1-in-3-year exceedance criterion, long-term

average concentrations of nutrients must be well below the

numeric limits and thresholds. If the proposed criteria are

being attained, the likelihood of a non-natural algal bloom

should be small.

92. The Department proved by a preponderance of the

evidence that the sample size and compliance criteria used in

the proposed rules are reasonably designed to prevent pollution

and protect designated uses.

5. 62-302.532, "Estuary-Specific Numeric Interpretations

of the Narrative Nutrient Criteria"

93. Due to the wide variation in Florida's estuaries, the

Department developed estuary-specific numeric criteria for them.

The estuaries are further divided into sub-basins. Petitioners

challenge the criteria developed for four of the estuaries:

Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay, Florida Keys, and Tidal Cocohatchee

River/Ten Thousand Islands.

94. The Department worked with the National Estuary

Programs, the Marine Technical Advisory Committee, the EPA

Science Advisory Board, and local scientists using a "weight-of-

evidence" approach to assess the biological health of the four

estuaries and develop numeric criteria. Special consideration

was given to whether human-induced nutrient loading was the

cause of any adverse condition or loss of ecosystem function.

95. The health of seagrasses in the estuaries was

important in the assessment of nutrient conditions because

excess nutrients cause high chlorophyll a concentrations, which

reduce the sunlight seagrass needs to survive and thrive.

Seagrasses provide critical habitat for a diverse community of

flora and fauna.

96. The Department determined that the four estuaries were

either biologically healthy or that any biological problems were

caused by factors other than excess nutrients. Therefore, the

Department's approach was to establish nutrient criteria for TN,

TP, and chlorophyll a for each estuary that would maintain

existing healthy conditions. The Department used data collected

from a monitoring network established by Florida International

University.

97. Dr. Lapointe objected to the Department's approach

because red tide blooms have occurred in Florida estuaries,

which he believes is an indication that existing conditions

include excess nutrients. However, the more persuasive evidence

is that red tide blooms are not a reliable indicator of human-

caused, excess nutrient loading and may indicate only a

temporary imbalance in aquatic flora and fauna.

98. The estuary criteria are based on geometric means

calculated from at least four samples and compliance is achieved

if there is no more than one exceedance in a three-year period.

Petitioners' objections to the sample size and exceedance

frequency have already been discussed.

a. Biscayne Bay

99. Biscayne Bay was determined to have a healthy

ecosystem. It has the third largest coral reef in the world.

The seagrass communities are healthy and are expanding.

Nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations are low. There have

been no toxic algal blooms or red tide events.

100. There are a number of conditions of concern in

Biscayne Bay, but Department's analysis showed that the

impairments are not caused by human-influenced nutrient

enrichment. The decline in coral coverage, for example, is due

primarily to high water temperature.

101. Petitioners' experts do not agree that Biscayne Bay

is healthy, but their opinions were given less weight than the

opinions of Dr. Madden, a SWFMD biologist, who is more familiar

with current conditions in the Bay.

b. Florida Bay

102. The Department determined Florida Bay has well-

balanced and diverse populations of flora and fauna. Existing

biological problems are not caused by excess nutrients. There

have been no toxic blooms in Florida Bay, or red tide events.

103. Seagrass communities in Florida Bay are healthy.

Dr. Lapointe said there had been a substantial loss of

seagrasses, but the loss occurred in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Seagrass coverage has been steadily increasing to the present.

104. There has been some of loss of corals in Florida Bay.

The Department attributes the loss to reduced salinity.

Dr. Lapointe believes that the loss was caused by excess

nutrients, but his evidence was not persuasive.

c. Tidal Cocohatchee River/Ten Thousand Islands

105. The Department determined that the Tidal Cocohatchee

River/Ten Thousand Islands estuaries had healthy, well balanced

populations of flora and fauna during the baseline period.

Nutrient and chlorophyll a levels are low.

106. Dr. Lapointe testified that red drift algae blooms

have occurred, which he attributes to excess nutrients, but he

did not show how natural populations of aquatic flora and fauna

were affected.

d. Florida Keys

107. The Department determined that the Florida Keys had a

healthy, well balanced population of flora and fauna during the

baseline period. Nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations are

low. The seagrass beds are healthy and extensive.

108. The decline in coral coverage in the Florida Keys is

not caused by excess nutrients, but is due to other factors such

as coral diseases and temperature. Coral coverage has been

stable since 2009.

109. There was considerable dispute about the levels of

nutrients in the Keys and whether their sources are

anthropogenic. Petitioners did not present the data to support

the opinions expressed by their expert.

e. Summary

110. These four estuaries are extremely valuable resources

that deserve special care to prevent them from being lost to

pollution. It was unfortunate that the expert witnesses were so

far apart in their characterization of the health of the

estuaries and their opinions about whether they are adversely

affected currently by excess nutrients. However, the

Department's extensive investigations and proceedings to

evaluate the condition of the estuaries and to develop numeric

criteria for them took into account the point of view of some

participants that the estuaries are suffering from excess

nutrients.

111. The Department proved by a preponderance of the

evidence that the numeric criteria for these four estuaries are

reasonably designed to prevent pollution and protect their

designated uses.

6. Rule 62-302.800(3), Type III SSAC

112. Site-specific alternative criteria (SSAC) are

criteria that are demonstrated to be more appropriate for a

waterbody than the state-wide water quality criteria. They are

adopted by rule on a case-by-case basis.

113. The existing rule provides for Type I and Type II

SSAC. A Type I SSAC is adopted for a waterbody that does not

meet a water quality criterion due to natural background

conditions or man-induced conditions which cannot be controlled

or abated. A Type II SSAC is one adopted when a waterbody does

not meet a water quality criterion for other reasons. The

proposed rules would establish a new Type III SSAC specifically

for nutrients.

114. In their petition, Petitioners object to the Type III

SSAC for reasons that have already been discussed in the context

of rule 62-302.351. The evidence presented by Petitioners was

not sufficient to demonstrate that the Type III SSAC provisions

contravene law implemented or are arbitrary or capricious.

E. Chapter 62-303, "Identification of Impaired

Surface Waters"

115. The impaired waters rule was first promulgated by the

Department in 2002 in response to requirements of section 303(d)

of the Clean Water Act. See § 403.067, Fla. Stat. Section

403.067(3)(b) required the Department to adopt by rule a

methodology for determining the waters that are impaired.

Impaired waters are waters that do not meet applicable water

quality standards due in whole or in part to point and non-point

discharges of pollutants. Fla. Admin. Code R. 62.303.200(7).

116. The existing rule contains a "planning list" of

surface waters that are suspected of being impaired and a

"verified list" of waters that have been confirmed as impaired.

A waterbody can be placed on the verified list without first

going on the planning list if the data are sufficient to confirm

its impairment.

117. For waterbodies on the verified list, the Department

develops TMDLs based on a priority ranking system. See Fla.

Admin. Code R. 62-303.500. A TMDL is defined in rule

62-303.200(24):

"Total maximum daily load" (TMDL) for an

impaired water body or water body segment

shall mean the sum of individual waste load

allocations for point sources and load

allocations for nonpoint sources and natural

background. Prior to determining individual

waste load allocations and load allocations,

the maximum amount of a pollutant that a

water body or water body segment can

assimilate from all sources without

exceeding water quality standards must first

be calculated. A TMDL shall include either

an implicit or explicit margin of safety and

a consideration of seasonal variations.

118. The proposed rules would add a “study list” for

waterbodies known to be impaired, but the cause of the

impairment has not been determined. If the impairment is

determined to be caused by a particular pollutant, then the

waterbody is placed on the verified list and a TMDL would be

developed. If the impairment is caused by something other than

a pollutant, such as a physical or hydrologic alteration to the

waterbody, then a TMDL would not be developed. See (proposed)

Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-303.150.

119. Waters on the planning list and study list are slated

for additional investigation.

120. The proposed rules would add a test for adverse

trends. A stream, lake, or estuary would be placed on the

planning list if there is a statistically significant increasing

trend in the annual geometric means for TN, TP, or chlorophyll a . See

(proposed) Fla. Admin Code R. 62-303.351(5),

62-303.352(3), 62-303.353(4). For springs, the trend test looks

for increases in concentrations of nitrate-nitrite. See

(proposed) Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-303.354(3).

121. A more robust trend test analysis is required to

place a waterbody on the study list. The purpose of the trend

analyses is to attempt to prevent an imbalance in flora and

fauna from occurring in the future.

122. Petitioners object to the proposed changes to rule

chapter 62-303 because it relies on the use of four water

samples to calculate a geometric mean and the allowance for a 1-

in-3-year exceedance of the various nutrient criteria. Those

objections have already been discussed and are not repeated

here.

123. Petitioners claim that the proposed rules use "an

arbitrary and capricious sequence of biological assessments

which require irrationally stringent proof of impairment and

nutrient pollution causation." Petitioners did not prove this

claim. The biological assessments are reasonably designed to

determine whether an imbalance exists. Proof of impairment by

human-caused nutrient loading is necessary and the level of

proof required to determine the cause of the pollution is

reasonable.

124. Petitioners assert that a waterbody will not make it

to the verified list unless it exhibits an imbalance in flora or

fauna, but that is consistent with the Clean Water Act and

section 403.067. The failure to meet water quality standards is

the basis for placement on the verified list and development of

a TMDL.

125. The Department proved by a preponderance of the

evidence that the proposed rules amending rule chapter 62-303

are reasonably designed to identify, manage, and restore

impaired waters.

F. Summary

126. The Department proved by a preponderance of the

evidence that the challenged rules do not contravene the law

implemented and are not arbitrary or capricious.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

Standing

127. Section 120.56(1)(a) provides that any person

substantially affected by an existing or proposed rule may seek

an administrative determination of the invalidity of the rule.

128. No party's standing to participate in these

consolidated rule challenge cases was contested. The parties'

stipulated facts regarding standing establish that the

Petitioners and Intervenors are substantially affected by the

challenged rules and, therefore, have standing to participate.

Case and Controversy

129. Under section 403.061, the Department has both the

power and the duty to prohibit water pollution and to do so, in

part, through the establishment of water quality standards.

Excessive nutrients can and do cause water pollution.

Therefore, it is the duty of the Department to control and

prohibit pollution caused by excessive nutrients.

130. The Department and Intervenors argue that chapter 403

does not require a particular degree of water quality

protection, which is a matter within the discretion of the

Department. This was also described as the Department's "sole

prerogative." However, if the Department's discretion or

prerogative were unlimited in this matter, it would follow that

no person may challenge a Department rule establishing a water

quality standard. That proposition is clearly contrary to

chapter 120.

131. The Department does not have the discretion or

prerogative to allow the pollution of surface waters to go un-

abated. Neither may the Department adopt water quality

standards that are not designed to prevent water pollution. See

§ 403.061(9), Fla. Stat.; Fla. Admin. Code R. 62-302.300(a).

132. The Department and Intervenors argued that

Petitioners' challenge to the narrative criterion as "reactive"

presumes how the Department uses or enforces the criterion and,

therefore, is not a challenge to its facial validity, but an

improper challenge to its application. See Fairfield

Communities v. Fla. Land & Water Adjudicatory Comm’n , 522 So. 2d

1012, 1014 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988)(a rule challenge involves a

determination of the facial validity of the rule, not a

determination of the validity of the rule's application to

specific circumstances).

133. However, determining whether a rule is arbitrary or

capricious involves more than a consideration of the words or

numbers used in the rule. In this case, it requires

consideration of facts dealing with the effects of nutrients on

flora and fauna. It also requires consideration of what a water

quality criterion is and how it is used by the Department.

Although some of these same facts can be relevant in a permit or

enforcement case in which a water quality criterion is being

applied, that does not make the facts off-limits for

consideration in a rule challenge. Only rules are being

challenged by Petitioners.

General Rule Challenge Principles

134. An existing rule is presumed to be valid. St. Johns

River Water Mgmt. Dist. v. Consolidated-Tomoka , 717 So. 2d 72,

76 (Fla. 1st DCA 1998); Jax Liquors, Inc. v. Div. of Alcoholic

Beverages and Tobacco , 388 So. 2d 1306, 1308 (Fla. 1st DCA

1980). A rule that has been in effect for many years has a

greater presumption of validity. Id. at 1308.

135. A person challenging an existing rule has the burden

of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the rule is

an invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority.

§ 120.56(3), Fla. Stat.

136. A proposed rule is not presumed to be valid or

invalid. § 120.56(2)(c), Fla. Stat. A person challenging a

proposed rule must state "with particularity" the reasons that

the proposed rule is an invalid exercise of delegated

legislative authority. § 120.56(2), Fla. Stat. At hearing, the

petitioner has the burden of going forward with evidence to

support the allegations in the petition. Id. If the challenger

meets this burden, the burden of persuasion shifts to the agency

to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the proposed

rule is not an invalid exercise of delegated legislative

authority "as to the objections raised." Id. ; Southwest Fla.

Water Mgmt. Dist. v. Charlotte Cnty. , 774 So. 2d 903, 908 (Fla.

2d DCA 2001), citing St. Johns River Water Mgmt. Dist. v.

Consolidated-Tomoka , 717 So. 2d 72, 76 (Fla. 1st DCA 1998).

137. To the extent that an agency's rule is based on an

interpretation of a statute that the agency administers, broad

discretion and deference is accorded the agency's interpretation

and it should be upheld when it is within the range of

permissible interpretations. See Bd. of Podiatric Med. v. Fla.

Med. Ass’n , 779 So. 2d 658, 660 (Fla. 1st DCA 2001), citing Bd.

of Trustees of Internal Impust Fund v. Levy , 656 So. 2d 1359

(Fla. 1st DCA 1995).

138. An agency's interpretation should harmonize with all

relevant parts of a statute, read together. Forsythe v.

Longboat Key Beach Erosion Control Dist. , 604 So. 2d 452, 455

(Fla. 1992). See also Barrington v. State , 199 So. 320, 323

(Fla. 1941).

139. An agency interpretation should not be overturned

unless clearly erroneous. Legal Envtl. Assistance Found. v. Bd.

of Cnty. Comm’rs of Brevard Cnty. , 642 So. 2d 1081, 1083-4 (Fla.

1994).

140. Deference to the agency's interpretation is

especially appropriate when the agency has made scientific

determinations within its area of special expertise. See Island

Harbor Bch. Club, Ltd. v. Dep’t of Natural Res. , 495 So. 2d 209,

223 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986).

141. An agency's interpretation of its own rules is also

afforded great deference, and will not be overturned unless it

is clearly arbitrary, capricious, or beyond the scope of its

authority. Falk v. Beard , 614 So. 2d 1086, 1089 (Fla.1993).

Petitioners' Challenge

142. Petitioners' presentation at the final hearing

included some opinions about how they believed the proposed

rules could be made more protective. The validity of the

proposed rules does not turn on whether they represent the best

means to accomplish the agency's purposes. See Levy , 656 So. 2d

at 1364. Nor does Petitioners' characterization of the proposed

rules as a "labyrinthine maze" state a ground for relief.

143. Petitioners' challenge is limited to whether the

Department’s existing narrative criterion and its proposed

numeric criteria are invalid under sections 120.52(8)(c) and

(e). Those sections provide that a proposed or existing rule is

an invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority if:

(c) The rule enlarges, modifies, or

contravenes the specific provisions of law

implemented, citation to which is required

by s. 120.54(3)(a)1.; [or]

* * *

(e) The rule is arbitrary or capricious. A

rule is arbitrary if it is not supported by

logic or the necessary facts; it is

capricious if it is adopted without thought

or reason or is irrational.

144. Petitioners contend that the challenged rules

contravene existing rule 62-302.300(7) wherein the ERC "urges"

that there be no compromise where pollutant discharges pose a

hazard to human health. Petitioners did not raise this issue in

their petition or in the pre-hearing stipulation. Rule 62-

302.300(7) is not a law implemented by the narrative criterion

and subject to challenge pursuant to 120.52(8)(c). Furthermore,

in context, it is apparent that the ERC is not referring to

water quality criteria, but to the regulatory actions of the

Department, which are beyond the scope of this rule challenge.

145. Petitioners claim that the narrative criterion and

the proposed numeric criteria contravene section 403.021(2),

which expresses the public policy to protect water quality and

the beneficial uses of waters, and section 403.021(10), which

expresses the public policy to protect drinking water sources.

146. The Department argues that when it made the technical

change to the proposed rules to replace the reference to section

403.021 with section 403.021(11) as the law implemented for rule

chapter 62-302, it rendered moot Petitioners’ claim that these

rules contravene sections 403.021(2) and 403.021(10). 2/

147. "Technical" hardly describes a change that would

limit the grounds upon which a rule may be challenged. However,

an agency's listing of the law implemented is probably not

controlling, and a challenger may show that other laws are

implemented by a rule, but were omitted, or there are laws that

were erroneously listed. See , e.g. , Horowitz v. Plantation Gen.

Hosp. Ltd. Part. , 959 So. 2d 176, 183 (Fla. 2007)(The purpose

and meaning of the statutory provisions relied upon by the

agency must be examined in conjunction with any related

statutory provisions). If the agency's listing of laws

implemented is not controlling, a change to the list would

qualify as a technical change.

148. In this case, the issue is largely academic because

it is concluded that the challenged rules do not contravene

sections 403.021(2) or (10).

149. On its face, the narrative nutrient criterion, which

prohibits pollution, does not contravene the statement of public

policy in section 403.021(2) to prevent pollution.

Section 403.021(2) is reasonably interpreted as directing the

Department to prevent pollution to the best of its ability. The

Department's ability to prevent pollution through the adoption

of water quality criteria is limited by such things as available

data and scientific knowledge. Petitioners failed to prove that

the continued application of the narrative nutrient criterion to

intermittent streams, wetlands, and certain other surface waters

is not reasonable and justified by the lack of sufficient data

and scientific knowledge about nutrient dynamics in these

waters.

150. With regard to the legislative policy expressed in

section 403.021(10) to protect potential drinking water

resources, Petitioners did not show that any of the surface

waters to which only the narrative criterion will be applicable

are sources of drinking water or that there are human health

hazards associated with toxic algae in these surface waters.

The Department proved by a preponderance of the evidence that

the proposed rules are reasonably designed to protect drinking

water sources.

151. Petitioners contend that the proposed rules

contravene section 403.021(11), which states that water quality

standards should "take into account the variability occurring in

nature" and the "statistical variability inherent in sampling

and testing procedures that are used to express water quality

standards." Petitioners argue that the proposed numeric

criteria contravene this law because they require only one water

quality sample from the period May through September, which is

when algal blooms occur more frequently.

152. Section 403.021(11), read as a whole, reflects a

legislative intent to protect dischargers. The intent is to

allow a discharger to show that a deviation from water quality

standards is due to natural variability or statistical

variability and not due to the discharge. The statute is not

directed to Petitioner's objective, which is to make sure that

sampling requirements are designed to capture seasonally-

affected phenomena such as algal blooms.

153. Furthermore, as explained in the Findings of Fact,

the proposed rules do not place limits on water quality

sampling. More than one sample from the period May through

September will be used when more than one sample is available.

The Department demonstrated that the proposed rules account for

natural variability and for statistical variability.

154. The Department proved by a preponderance of the

evidence that the proposed rules do not contravene section

403.021(11) or any other law implemented.

155. A rule is arbitrary if it is not supported by fact or

logic and capricious if it has been adopted with no thought or

reason. Agrico Chem. Co. v. State Dep't. of Envtl. Reg. , 365

So. 2d 759, 763 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978).

156. A rule is not arbitrary or capricious if it is shown

to be a product of a process involving the thoughtful balancing

of varying factors. Levy , 656 So. 2d at 1362. A rule is not

arbitrary or capricious if there is any evidence to show a

rational basis for the rule. Id. at 1363.

157. When examining scientific determinations, a reviewing

court must generally be at its most deferential. See Island

Harbor Beach Club , 495 So. 2d at 217; Baltimore Gas & Elec. Co.

v. Natural Res. Def. Council, Inc. , 462 U.S. 87, 103, 103 S. Ct.

2246, 2255, 76 L. Ed. 2d 437 (1983).

158. In this case, deference to the Department's

scientific conclusions is appropriate.

159. Petitioners did not prove that the narrative

criterion or the proposed rules are arbitrary or capricious.

This was due in part to Petitioners' failure to present the

evidence upon which several of their experts' opinions were

based. An expert opinion generally deserves less weight when it

is based exclusively on facts and data that are not in evidence.

See Riggins v. Mariner Boat Works, Inc. , 545 So. 2d 430, 432

(Fla. 2d DCA 1989); Avila, Inc. v. Mesa , 381 So. 2d 1172, 1173

(Fla. 1st DCA 1980).

160. Petitioners claim that proposed rule chapter 62-303

"contains no mechanism for listing as impaired any Outstanding

Florida Water that is exceeding its baseline nutrient pollution

levels." Rule 62-302.700(1) states that Outstanding Florida

Waters (OFW) are to be afforded the "highest protection" and no

degradation is allowed in an OFW's baseline water quality.

However, rule 62-302.700(7) states that "[t]he policy of this

section shall be implemented through the permitting process

pursuant to Rule 62-4.242, F.A.C" and that rule only addresses

Department permits and water quality certifications.

161. The use of the word "policy" rather than "criteria"

in rule 62-302.700(7) and the reference only to the "permitting

process" leaves unclear whether the ERC intended the OFW

"policy" to be treated like other water quality criteria so that

if an OFW's baseline water quality is degraded, the OFW becomes

an "impaired water" for purposes of section 303(d) of the Clean

Water Act and section 403.067. It is not the role of the

Administrative Law Judge to undertake an investigation of this

novel issue without the assistance of record evidence. The

issue was not sufficiently explained or developed in the record,

which was Petitioners' burden. See § 120.56(2), Fla. Stat.

CONCLUSION

Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of

Law, it is determined that

1. Petitioners failed to prove by a preponderance of the

evidence that the narrative nutrient criterion is an invalid

exercise of delegated legislative authority.

2. The Department proved by a preponderance of the

evidence that the proposed rules are not invalid exercises of

delegated legislative authority.

DONE AND ORDERED this 7th day of June, 2012, in

Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.

BRAM D. E. CANTER

Administrative Law Judge

Division of Administrative Hearings

The DeSoto Building

1230 Apalachee Parkway

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060

[phone]

Fax Filing [phone]

www.doah.state.fl.us

Filed with the Clerk of the

Division of Administrative Hearings

this 7th day of June, 2012.

ENDNOTES

1/ In Exhibit 712, Petitioners highlighted in yellow the parts

of the rules that they object to.

2/ Petitioners argue in their proposed final order that the

narrative nutrient criterion and proposed numeric criteria

contravene section 403.021(6), but that issue was not raised in

their petition.

COPIES FURNISHED :

W. Douglas Beason, Esquire

Department of Environmental Protection

Douglas Building, Mail Station 35

3900 Commonwealth Boulevard

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000

[e-mail]

Frederick L. Aschauer, Jr., Esquire

Sundstrom, Friedman and Fumero, LLP

2548 Blairstone Pines Drive

Tallahassee, Florida 32301

[e-mail]

Kenneth G. Oertel, Esquire

Oertel, Fernandez, Bryant and Atkinson, P.A.

Post Office Box 1110

Tallahassee, Florida 32302

[e-mail]

Susan Roeder Martin, Esquire

South Florida Water Management District

3301 Gun Club Road, Mail Stop 1410

West Palm Beach, Florida 33406-3007

[e-mail]

Winston Kirk Borkowski, Esquire

Hopping Green and Sams, P.A.

119 South Monroe Street, Suite 300

Post Office Box 6526

Tallahassee, Florida 32314-6526

[e-mail]

Gabriel E. Nieto, Esquire

Rasco Klock Et. Al

283 Catalonia Avenue, Second Floor

Coral Gables, Florida 33134

[e-mail]

Terry Cole, Esquire

Gunster, Yoakley and Stewart, P.A.

215 South Monroe Street, Suite 601

Tallahassee, Florida 32301

[e-mail]

Rick J. Burgess, Esquire

Gunster Yoakley and Stewart P.A.

450 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 1400

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301

[e-mail]

Jeffrey Brown, Esquire

Oertel, Fernandez, Bryant and Atkinson, P.A.

Post Office Box 1110

Tallahassee, Florida 32302

[e-mail]

David G. Guest, Esquire

Monica K. Reimer, Esquire

Earthjustice

111 South Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard

Post Office Box 1329

Tallahassee, Florida 32301

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

Herschel T. Vinyard, Jr., Secretary

Department of Environmental Protection

Douglas Building, Mail Station 35

3900 Commonwealth Boulevard

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000

Tom Beason, General Counsel

Department of Environmental Protection

Douglas Building, Mail Station 35

3900 Commonwealth Boulevard

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000

Lea Crandall, Agency Clerk

Department of Environmental Protection

Douglas Building, Mail Station 35

3900 Commonwealth Boulevard

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000

Liz Cloud, Program Administrator

Administrative Code

Department of State

R. A. Gray Building, Suite 101

Tallahassee, Florida 32399

Ken Plante, Coordinator

Joint Administrative Procedures Committee

Room 680, Pepper Building

111 West Madison Street

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1400

NOTICE OF RIGHT TO JUDICIAL REVIEW

A party who is adversely affected by this Final Order is

entitled to judicial review pursuant to section 120.68, Florida

Statutes. Review proceedings are governed by the Florida Rules

of Appellate Procedure. Such proceedings are commenced by

filing the original notice of administrative appeal with the

agency clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings within

30 days of rendition of the order to be reviewed, and a copy of

the notice, accompanied by any filing fees prescribed by law,

with the clerk of the District Court of Appeal in the appellate

district where the agency maintains its headquarters or where a

party resides or as otherwise provided by law.