The Department is conducting a second set of public workshops for the Triennial Review of state surface water quality standards. These workshops are a follow-up to public workshops held on June 10 and 11, 2015, in Tallahassee and Orlando, ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The Department of Environmental Protection, Water Quality Standards Program, announces workshops to which all persons are invited.

DATE AND TIME: Tuesday, September 15, 2015, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: South Florida Water Management District, Main Conference Room, Building B-1, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, Florida

DATE AND TIME: Wednesday, September 16, 2015, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Central District Office, 3319 Maguire Boulevard, Suite 232, Conference Rooms A/B/C, Orlando, Florida

DATE AND TIME: Thursday, September 17, 2015, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Bob Martinez Center, Room 609, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida

GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: The Department is conducting a second set of public workshops for the Triennial Review of state surface water quality standards. These workshops are a follow-up to public workshops held on June 10 and 11, 2015, in Tallahassee and Orlando, respectively. The Department is considering revisions to specific rule sections at this time; however, all surface water quality standards in Chapter 62-4, Chapter 62-302 and Chapter 62-303, F.A.C., are under review and may be revised as part of Triennial Review. Two issues have been added to the Triennial Review since the initial round of public workshops, including revising criteria for bacteriological quality from fecal coliforms to E. coli (freshwater) and enterococci (marine waters) and reclassifying a number of estuarine waters around the state from Class III to Class II (shellfish harvesting or propagation) waters. The Department also plans to present additional revisions to Chapter 62-303, F.A.C., including 1) revisions designed to implement the proposed changes to the bacteria criteria, 2) revisions to clarify the scope of waters on the Study List and clarify what studies will be conducted for listed waters, 3) revisions to more clearly address minimum data and delisting requirements for the assessment of nutrient impairments, and 4) a wide variety of non-substantive clarifications and clean-up. Issues discussed at the first public workshops for Chapter 62-302, F.A.C., are still under consideration and include: 1) replacing the freshwater un-ionized ammonia criterion with total ammonia criteria, 2) revising the criteria for alkalinity to account for waters with naturally low alkalinity, 3) establishing new water quality criteria for carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and nonylphenol, and 4) updating a number of references used in Chapter 62-302, F.A.C.

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Eric Shaw, Department of Environmental Protection, Water Quality Standards Program, MS 6511, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400, [phone] or [e-mail].

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 5 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: Eric Shaw at [phone] or [e-mail]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).