Florida Sportsman
August 8, 2011
BIG AG POLLUTERS STACKING DECK AGAINST LIMITS
Congressmen in Big Ag's pocket are stacking hearings to try to kill numeric limits against damaging pollution. You could help by supporting EPA's planned rules to finally curb pollution that damages our fishing and outdoors. Here's a new release from the non-profit Earth Justice legal organization:
U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns Shuts Public Out of Florida Water Pollution Hearing
Targeted News Service
August 5, 2011
EarthJustice issued the following news release:
U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala) has sided with polluters and is refusing to invite any clean-water advocates or members of the public to testify at an Orlando Congressional hearing he is holding next week to discuss EPA's proposed limits for sewage, fertilizer and manure in Florida waters.
"We are not sure why Rep. Stearns is stacking this hearing with representatives from polluting industries and shutting out clean-water advocates, but it doesn't bode well for the public," said Florida Wildlife Federation President Manley Fuller. "Stearns isn't allowing any public testimony at the hearing, and instead has assembled a panel of people from the sewage, agricultural and fertilizer industries--the very parties who are polluting the public's waters and causing nauseating toxic algae outbreaks."
"If Stearns wants to hear from his constituents, he should make room to hear from business owners and residents who have endured the public health threat posed by toxic algae outbreaks and fish kills at dozens of cold-water springs, at Sanibel Island, Naples, Daytona, and other tourist beaches, and along the St. Lucie, Indian St. Johns and Caloosahatchee Rivers," said Earthjustice attorney David Guest.
Stearns' one-side hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, called "EPA's Takeover of Florida's Nutrient Water Quality Standard Setting: Impact on Communities and Job Creation," will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 9 at the University of Central Florida Alumni Center in Orlando, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Building 126.
"This is a surprising and disappointing about-face for Rep. Stearns," said Sierra Club Florida Staff Director Frank Jackalone. "He was the only Republican in the Florida congressional delegation who voted in February against a damaging amendment by U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta. That amendment, to the House Continuing Budget Resolution, would have stopped EPA from enforcing the Clean Water Act in Florida. Fortunately, the Senate rejected it."
Contact: David Guest, 850/681-0031 Reply With Quote .
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08-08-2011 12:43 PM #2 mannn123
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Posts:21Hmmmmm, let me summarize....... "environmental groups supporting big federal government agency and its effort to propose new rules for Florida that are not based on science but that are desired to be imposed on Florida's waters impacting our economy." Sound familiar?
I am not saying that there are not problems with polluted waterways here (just like there are problems with fisheries) but EPA has the same issues as NMFS and their unrealistic and unsupported fixes that are likely to be detrimental to our economy and aren't based on good science. Although we have our own problems, I would rather rely on the FWC and FDEP over the federal agencies. Reply With Quote .
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08-08-2011 02:16 PM #3 Mackeral Snatcher
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Location:up a creek without a paddle tampa
Posts:542Agree, the State agencies are less corrupt then the Feds. THERE SHOULD BE NO COMMERCIAL FISHING ALLOWED FOR ANY SPECIES THAT IS CONSIDERED OVERFISHED. Reply With Quote .
Yesterday 09:22 AM #4 FS Karl Snapper
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Posts:25Unfortunately, the state has been in bed with the worst of the polluters. Lakes and estuaries are ruined by excessive phosphorous and other contaminants. A friend puts it this way:
"The FDEP hasn't been able to solve the problems and at the rate our illustrious gov is cutting funding to anything that resembles environ protection the DEP may not be around much longer to do anything." Reply With Quote .
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Yesterday 11:26 AM #5 mannn123
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Posts:21I understand, but I would counter that with, "if the EPA is allowed to step in with their plan, most of us might not have jobs or the money to go fishing anyway." I am sure some would say that is a scare tactic....but maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Sometimes when we see a problem, we get so outraged that we want someone to fix it and ignore the consequences of a bad fix or something that's not founded on science. Many would say that is the case with the EPA Numeric Nutrient Criteria rule. Reply With Quote .
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Yesterday 03:09 PM #6 Ron@.38 Special
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Posts:31The existing system is the one with no basis in science. My opinion is that if the EPA rule does go into effect, federal money will have to follow as this would be the pilot state for the change. Not the only state with numeric limits, but the firs to transition this way.
The water quality business would go thru the roof. We are simply in a waiting game before introducing our Magnetic Ballast Clarification units for control of nutrient discharges. Business is expected to be in the $2 BILLION range in the first 5 years of the new limits. How many jobs would $2 billion create?
And thats not to mention the benefit to the water quality in Florida.