Meeting on water standards set for Thursday

The federal agency said this week it would consider postponing the implementation of its new pollution limits for nitrogen and phosphorus in Florida if the state Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) creates its own limits and they were approved by the EPA.

To that end, the FDEP is leading a series of public meetings in Tallahassee and Leesburg this week to discuss creating new standards to replace those EPA is scheduled to start implementing in March of next year.

The environmental group Earthjustice successfully sued EPA to impose nutrient pollutant standards. The group's lawyer, David Guest, said that the FDEP will try to create far more lenient pollution rules to allow continued polluting of Florida's waters.

The EPA estimates that 60 percent of Florida's water are impaired.

"The politicians and the heavyweight polluters want rules that can't be enforced," Guest said. "(FDEP) wants to revisit it and make the polluters happy."

The legal battle between EPA and Florida utilities, elected officials and FDEP focuses on how unwanted nutrients are measured in water.

Until now, Florida used primarily qualitative standards to decide whether its waters were polluted. That meant if the water and its associated wildlife and vegetation appeared healthy, then the water body met Florida's standards, regardless of the level of nutrients. Nitrogen and phosphorus causes excessive amounts of algae to grow in water, changing the water's chemistry and damaging wildlife dependent on the water.

After years of the EPA unsuccessfully asking FDEP to create quantifiable water standards, EPA announced it would create its own for the state.

Since then, dozens of Florida industries — from mining to farming and waste water — have opposed the new standards, claiming they were too stringent, costly and not based on good science.

In Marion County, pollutant levels for the Silver and Rainbow springs are three times higher than EPA's proposed limits. Lake Weir also routinely fails to meet the EPA's proposed total-nitrogen standards.

In addition, the Ocklawaha, Withlacoochee and Rainbow rivers consistently surpass EPA's proposed river standards.

In Alachua County, Hornsby Springs would fail the EPA's standards, as would Lake Lochloosa and Newnan's Lake.

EPA's offer to pull its own criteria and replace it with those from FDEP is in response to an April letter by FDEP head Herschel Vinyard to EPA asking the agency to scrap its standards. Vinyard is newly appointed by Gov. Rick Scott and is a former Jacksonville ship-building executive.

Samaritan Inn Poker Run June 18, 2011 | Leesburg, Florida Bike Rally

Poker Run to benefit Samaritan Inn & The Homeless Feeding Program

Registration begins 9 am Gator Harley, Leesburg

Stops include: Levi's Bistro,JB Boondocks,Little Lake Harris Pub, Zellwood Pub,JJ'S,

and ending at Corner Pub (formerly Kickstands) Eustis

many, many Raffles,bbq, live music.

Corona, Heineken, and Michelob signs, lights, mirrors,

Gift cards/certificates, corn hole toss!

Please join in this worthy cause, we need riders/passengers!

For all your Motorcycle Event information check out the Motorcycle Monster .

For more information about this event, Please see below.

Jun 7 - Aug 31 Kissimmee, Florida . The Art In Motion Shop Talk Happy Hour event will be held on every Tuesday, starting on June 7th, 2011 and ending on August 31st, 2011Time:-Begin: 5:30pm-End: 8:00pmHave some free beer,Bring stuff to grill, Play in the biker backyard, Carve on the carving table,and much more.Please contact for more …

Dec 19 Kissimmee, Florida . Free admission, free beer, hot coffee by Deb's Coffee truck, free food, live music Dog friendly ( please bring leash) Bring your parts to this party! We have $5 swap space and consignment also. Call (407) 847-0119for more information. setup: 7:30 a.m. time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Acts and resolutions adopted by the Legislature of Florida

Code of ordinances, City of Leesburg, Florida, the Charter and general ordinances of the city, adopted May 12, 1953, effective June 11, 1953

Acts and resolutions adopted by the Legislature of Florida

Acts and resolutions adopted by the Legislature ... under the constitution of A.D. 1885, together with an appendix containing a statement of receipts and expenditures ..

Acts and resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of Florida