Legislation would require 5-year plans for restoring Florida's threatened springs

Legislation would require 5-year plans for restoring Florida's threatened springs

A House bill that would require water management districts to develop five-year plans for restoring springs water quality and flows was filed Thursday.

HB 789 By Rep. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, was filed amid intensifying criticism of state agencies for not doing enough to protect springs from over-pumping and nutrient pollution.

A column by Florida Conservation Coalition members criticizing the state was published in The Palm Beach Post on Thursday in advance of a rally at Wekiva Springs State Park this weekend. Also Thursday, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a news release highlighting the state's springs protection efforts.

HB 789 would require each water management district by Oct. 1 to identify springs that have declining water quality or reduced flows or are listed by the DEP as "impaired." The districts would be required to set five-year restoration plans by July 1, 2014 and provide quarterly reports on their springs restoration efforts.

Some environmentalists said they viewed the bill as a good start. Stewart could not be reached for comment nor could Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, who has said he is working with DEP on possible springs legislation.

Robert L. Knight, president of the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute, said the legislation may need to require more details on steps that will be taken to reduce springs pollution.

Estus Whitfield, coordinator of the Florida Conservation Coalition, said the group hasn't taken a position on the bill. But he thanked Stewart's efforts and said the quarterly reports required by the bill could keep action going towards springs restoration.

The Department of Environmental Protection is reviewing the bill, a DEP spokesman said. An attorney representing a group of wastewater utilities said he also was reviewing the bill and his group has not taken a position on it.

In a news release issued on Thursday, DEP said it has adopted restoration goals for reducing nitrate-nitrogen in Rainbow Springs and Rainbow River in Marion County and Jackson Blue Spring and Merritts Mill Pond in Jackson County. Gov. Rick Scott has requested $7.1 million in fiscal 2013-14 for springs restoration.

?The department has made springs restoration a statewide priority and (we) are working hard to address nutrient impacts to these unique waterbodies,? DEP Secretary Herschel T. Vinyard Jr. said.?

Knight said the pollution goals take too long to develop and take too long to achieve reductions -- sometimes as long as 20 years.?

The bill, he said, may need more detailed language to require significant accomplishments within five years.?

"Whether it will be twisted, modified (or) amended to take away those benefits I have no idea," Knight said.

Related Research: Feb. 14, 2013 Florida DEP news release on springs protection

Reporter Bruce Ritchie can be reached at britchie@thefloridacurrent.com.

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