Jerry Moran: “This amendment is the equivalent of sticking your head in the sand--I use that analogy because we're talking about…”

“This amendment is the equivalent of sticking your head in the sand--I use that analogy because we're talking about Florida--hoping that a growing problem somehow will miraculously go away. Back in 2009, a consent decree was reached in Federal court between EPA and numerous Florida environmental groups to set numeric limits for nutrients in the State's lakes, rivers, and streams. Such numeric standards are the only way to make progress correcting ecological problems. The need for the standards contained in this consent decree was demonstrated repeatedly by Florida's Department of Environmental Protection. They pointed out that 1,000 miles of the State's rivers and streams, 350,000 acres of Florida's lakes, and 900 square miles of its estuaries were contaminated by nutrient pollution from sewage discharges and fertilizer or manure runoff. But this amendment would block these standards from being used. I fail to understand how the supporters of this amendment think that it's okay for folks to dump manure, fertilizer, and sewage into lakes and rivers without regard to the health of these waters or to the health of the people who depend upon these waters. This water quality rule was published last November, but the regulations don't go into effect until March of next year. The major activity by EPA that this amendment would prevent is an education effort to help the communities, businesses, and the public meet these new standards.”