This in today from Florida Farm Bureau’s Charlie Shinn, who keeps pretty close tabs on water goings on in the south Florida region.
EPA Extends Deadlines for Enacting New Numeric Nutrient Criteria in South Florida Waters including Canals
On June 7, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Plaintiffs in the numeric nutrient litigation filed a notice of extension of the Consent Decree deadlines on moving the date from October 15, 2010 to November 14, 2011 for South Florida Waters, including canals. The purpose for the extension is to allow sufficient time for peer-review by EPA’s Science Advisory Board of the underlying methodologies, analysis and data to confirm the best available science is being appropriately used to support development of the criteria.
This confirms that EPA is having the same difficulty that Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) was having in deriving limits for nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen), dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll that could be statistically significant in our varied waters.
It is especially difficult and I may deem near impossible to derive concentrations of nutrients that are ‘natural’ in an unnatural water body such as a canal. Although canals have varying levels of biological species (flora and fauna), these cannot be considered natural or background in a structure with the sole purpose of moving water from point A to point B in an efficient, unrestrictive manner.
The final promulgation of numeric nutrient criteria for lakes and flowing waters (streams) did not change and remains October 15, 2010.
Dispersed Storage Remains a Hot Topic at Governing Board Meetings
In several different agenda items, holding waters back on public and private lands to increase regional storage capacity remains a hot topic with governing board members. The goal is to decrease ocean outfall of fresh water by holding additional water where possible, both upstream and downstream of Lake Okeechobee. On private property, holding water for profit has been coined the term ‘Water Farming’.
A presentation to the governing board by The Nature Conservancy highlighted specific measures to store water on lands in the Northern Everglades (north of Lake Okeechobee). Goals of the Conservancy besides hydrological restoration are protection and linkage of high quality habitats for threatened and endangered species and the sustainability of the cattle industry in the region.
Florida Farm Bureau remains in favor of water farming as an alternative income stream for farmers where it is feasible and cost effective if issues are resolved to allow the farmer to continue cropping the land once water is removed. These include wetland re-creation and management of threatened or endangered species that may relocate due to the flooded conditions. As this process moves forward, Florida Farm Bureau will remain diligent to make sure that safeguards are in place for farmers that wish to participate. Additionally, we are keeping an eye on the process to insure that current property rights are not threatened. It is a constant process to inform others of the ecological benefits of working ranchlands.
SFWMD FY2010 – 2011 Budget Development
For the past two months, the South Florida Water Management District staff has been briefing the governing board on income and expense projections that will be used to develop next year’s budget for the district. As the numbers are presented, the governing board members are starting to grapple with greatly reduced inflows and a cloudy future that includes a potentially busy tropical season as well as Federal Judge Orders and increasing costs for operations and maintenance.
A key component to the budget is cutting expenses to match a 12% ($63 million) loss in ad valorem revenues. This is $100 million loss in ad valorem revenues from two years ago. District staff assured the board that flood control operations will be fully funded as well as the operation and maintenance of the Central & South Florida system.
Construction will continue on projects already initiated such as C-111 and Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands (both in Miami/Dade County) but there will be no new construction starts in the proposed budget.
Contained in the current budget planning is a reserve for land and capital projects totaling $321 million. This includes some funding from some State and Federal sources that will likely be cut adjusting the figure to $212 million. It is the recommendation by staff to set these funds aside in a capital reserve pending Federal Court orders and potential U.S. Sugar acquisition. Governing Board member Shannon Estenoz noted that “there is tremendous uncertainty in the Judge’s orders but there is certainty of buy and build needed”. She further said that she didn’t think that $300 million will be enough to cover these orders.
As the financial reality sets in, the process to purchase the current amount of property in the U.S. Sugar Corporation contract is slowing to a standstill. In response, the district has suspended all ‘River of Grass’ workshops.
Monthly Reports Available on Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s Website
This report is also available on Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s website (www.floridafarmbureau.org). Click on ‘Issues and Public Policy’ on the left side of the home page, then click on the ‘Water and Natural Resources’ subheading.
If you do not wish to receive this report in the future or are receiving multiple copies, please contact me (charles.shinn@ffbf.org).