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Southerland backs Fla over EPA in water fight

After complaints about toxic algae in Florida’s water bodies, and an attempt at imposing Federal water quality standards, the Environmental Protection Agency is giving the state a chance to make its own rules. Regan McCarthy reports U.S. Representative Steve Southerland came to Florida Monday to tout the state’s proposed water quality standards.

U.S. Representative Steve Southerland, from Florida’s 2nd congressional district, says things like the potential cost to small businesses should be considered when setting water quality standards.  He says the state’s rules will protect the environment and Florida’s pocketbook. And he says it’s right that Florida’s citizens would have a role in setting those limits.

“We want to have say, as Floridians we want to have say in the future of our state without a federal bureaucracy that does not take our input.”

Southerland is introducing an Act in Congress called the State Waters Partnership Act to encourage the EPA to adopt the state’s standards.

 

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Regan McCarthy covers healthcare and government in Tallahassee, Florida. She is the Assistant News Director for WFSU Public Media.

Phone: (850) 645-6090 | rmccarthy@fsu.edu

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