Clean Water News

TALLAHASSEE — More than 59 percent of industrial and municipal facilities across Florida discharged more pollution into our waterways than their Clean Water Act permits allow in 2005, according to Troubled Waters: An analysis of Clean Water Act compliance, a new report released today by Environment Florida.

“As the Clean Water Act turns 35, polluters continue to foul our rivers, lakes and streams,” said Mark Ferrulo, Director of Environment Florida.  “With so many facilities dumping so much pollution, no one should be surprised that nearly half of America’s waterways are unsafe for swimming and fishing.  But we should be outraged.”

The goals of the 1972 Clean Water Act are to eliminate the discharge of pollutants into waterways and make all U.S. waterways swimmable and fishable.  Over the last three and a half decades, this landmark environmental law has made significant improvements in water quality, but the original goals have yet to be met.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, Environment Florida obtained data on facilities’ compliance with the Clean Water Act between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005. Environment Florida researchers found that:

• 128 facilities in Florida reported more than 910 exceedances of their Clean Water Act permits in 2005.

• Hillsborough County ranked 11th in the nation for the number of major facilities exceeding their Clean Water Act permits.  Polk County was 16th and Duval County 22nd.

• On average, Florida facilities exceeding their Clean Water Act permits did so by 216 percent.

• Polluters in Florida reported 51 instances in which they exceeded their Clean Water Act permit by at least 500 percent over the legal limit.

“Facilities in Florida and across the country continue to dump more pollution into our waterways than is allowed by law,” said Ferrulo.

Ferrulo noted that the findings are likely just the tip of the iceberg, since the data that Environment Florida analyzed includes only “major” facilities and does not include pollution discharged into waters by the thousands of minor facilities across the state and country. 

Over the last six years, the Bush administration has proposed or enacted numerous policies that weaken the Clean Water Act.  These include: two separate policies that eliminate Clean Water Act protections for streams and wetlands that feed and clean treasured lakes, rivers and bays; funding cuts to EPA’s budget, including significant cuts to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; and policies that allow more sewage pollution into waterways.

Environment Florida called on the Bush administration to end its efforts to weaken federal clean water safeguards and for Congress to pass the Clean Water Restoration Act, legislation to ensure all U.S. waterways are protected by the Clean Water Act.

Environment Florida urged Florida’s U.S. House Representatives to mark the anniversary of the Clean Water Act by joining the 172 cosponsors of the Clean Water Restoration Act. Environment Florida applauded Representatives Brown (Jacksonville), Castor (Tampa), Hastings (Ft. Lauderdale), Klein (West Palm Beach), Wasserman Schultz (Pembroke Pines), and Wexler (Boca Raton), for sponsoring this important clean water bill.

“Instead of holding polluters accountable, the Bush administration is allowing more—not less-- pollution to enter our waterways.  Now more than ever, Congress should step in to protect all of Florida’s and our nation’s waters,” concluded Ferrulo

Environment Florida is a non-profit, statewide advocacy organization working for clean air, clean water and open spaces.

For a full copy of the report, including the entire list of Florida facilities exceeding their Clean Water Act permits, call Mark Ferrulo at 850-321-4874 or visit www.EnvironmentFlorida.org/reports