Martin County is putting its legal challenge of the state’s highly controversial new water quality standards on hold – at least for now.
County attorney Elizabeth Lenihan convinced commissioners to wait for an independent study before deciding whether to appeal a hearing officer’s adverse ruling.
“Doing it that way is not going to jeopardize our ability to challenge an existing rule or challenge it at the federal level.”
Martin County was ground zero for a massive toxic algae bloom earlier this summer, making water quality a sensitive issue on the Treasure Coast. The City of Miami also challenged the standards and is appealing the dismissal.
