Subject
The overall scope of this rule development will address estuary-specific numeric nutrient criteria (NNC) for total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a in the following estuaries: portions of the Big Bend from Alligator Harbor to the Suwannee Sound, Cedar Key, St. Marys River estuary, Southern Indian River Lagoon, Mosquito Lagoon, several portions of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICWW) connecting estuarine systems, a variety of small gaps between estuaries with adopted NNC, and parameters for estuaries not currently covered by their adopted nutrient Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), including Upper Escambia Bay, Lower St. Johns River, Indian River Lagoon, St. Lucie Estuary, and Caloosahatchee Estuary. Nutrient criteria for these estuaries were included in an August 1, 2013 report to the Governor and Legislature. Pursuant to Chapter 2013-71, Laws of Florida, the Legislature directed the Department to establish these estuary NNC by rule or final order by December 1, 2014. The Tallahassee workshop will cover panhandle and big bend estuaries from Upper Escambia Bay to Cedar Key. The Palm Bay workshop will cover the southwest estuaries from Anclote Bayou to Moorings Bay and the southeast Florida estuaries up to and including Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon. The Jacksonville workshop will cover estuaries in northeast Florida from the Upper Halifax River to the St. Marys, as well as additional coverage of the Fenholloway and Econfina River estuaries, which will also be included in the Tallahassee workshop.