WASHINGTON – Congressman Adam Putnam today said a new study by the State of Florida shows that proposed federal water regulations that would apply only to Florida could cost residents billions of dollars and result in the loss of more than 14,000 jobs.
“These rules would be devastating if they go into effect,” Putnam said. “This study presents the most compelling analysis yet on why we need to stop this process and take a fresh look at the best way to protect Florida’s waters without devastating our economy.”
The federal Environmental Protection Agency is in the process of developing strict numeric standards for the nutrient levels in Florida’s lakes, streams and coastal areas. The plan to set these numeric standards came as the result of a lawsuit the EPA settled with several advocacy groups last fall. The standards would apply only to Florida. Since then, Putnam has organized a bipartisan request from 20 members of Florida’s Congressional delegation asking EPA to take more time and to involve a third-party scientific review of its science.
Last month EPA agreed to seek more public input and announced it would delay the implementation of some of the proposed rules until 2011. The report from Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the University of Florida’s Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences found that “total recurring expenditures and revenue reductions for agriculture are estimated to range from $902 million to $1.605 billion annually.”
In addition, the report warns, “The total output impacts resulting from the $631million in lost agricultural revenues and the secondary ripple effects on suppliers and employee spending are estimated to equal -$1.148 billion annually … Annual impacts to Florida’s labor income are estimated to be -$326 million, and the estimated loss of full-time, part-time, and seasonal jobs is -14,545.”
“Florida is a leader in establishing clean water standards, and has made enormous progress in identifying ways to address nutrient pollution,” Putnam said. “What this study shows is the economic devastation that could be wrought on Florida if the EPA proceeds on the course it’s on. We cannot allow these proposed rules to move forward. EPA must stop this process now and work with the State of Florida, not against it.”
Since 2001, Putnam has represented Florida’s 12th Congressional District, which includes most of Polk County and portions of Hillsborough and Osceola counties.