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EPA PROPOSES A TOTAL ANNUAL LOAD OF PHOSPHORUS FOR LAKE OKEECHOBEE

Release Date: 01/3/2000
Contact Information: Carl Terry, media relations, 404-562-8325

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed for public comment a total annual load of phosphorus, under the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program, that will lead to the restoration of Lake Okeechobee. This announcement supports the Administration’s ongoing comprehensive efforts to restore the Everglades ecosystem. Ensuring an environmentally healthy Everglades has been one of the highest priorities of the Clinton/Gore Administration. The Administration, under the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Initiative, has laid the groundwork for the largest environmental restoration effort ever attempted. Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), EPA is responsible for protecting and restoring the nation’s waters. This action proposes a restoration target for phosphorus levels in the Lake that will support a healthy Lake system. EPA is proposing a total annual load of 198 metric tons of phosphorus for Lake Okeechobee, including phosphorus deposited from the air (approximately 71 metric tons). The proposed phosphorus loading represents a 68% reduction from the 1997 load of 624 metric tons entering the Lake. The annual load was determined using a computer model developed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and available data. John H. Hankinson, Jr., EPA Regional Administrator in Atlanta, stated, “This proposed action is a big step forward in restoring Lake Okeechobee, and supports the ongoing efforts by the State of Florida and the agricultural industry. With today’s action, we are beginning a public dialogue on bringing the lake back to health. EPA is firmly committed to working with all stakeholders on a long-term restoration plan. ” This annual loading will restore the Lake to the target water quality goal of 40 parts per billion of phosphorus, which is the amount of phosphorus that will support a healthy Lake system. The target water quality goal is the goal identified by the State of Florida in its Lake Okeechobee Surface Water Improvement Management (SWIM) Plan, and the recently developed Lake Okeechobee Action Plan. The Action Plan is a consensus document developed by the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Working Group. Lake Okeechobee has been significantly impacted over the past 60 or more years by agriculture and water management practices. Stormwater and irrigation runoff from agricultural land uses in the basin are responsible for large quantities of phosphorus releases to the Lake over a long period of time. This accumulation of phosphorus has significantly degraded water quality and threatened the ecological health of Lake Okeechobee. EPA is proposing this annual load under the schedule set out in the June 30, 1999, Consent Decree, settling a lawsuit against EPA brought by the Florida Wildlife Federation and other environmental groups. The lawsuit alleged that EPA did not fully implement the TMDL provisions of the CWA. A TMDL is the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive to restore and maintain water quality standards. Today’s action is the first step in the TMDL process. EPA is proposing, as the next step, that a collaborative process be established with the State and local stakeholders. The goal of the collaborative process will be to develop and explore alternatives and options to implement the TMDL once it is established. An overview and the total annual load is available on the web at https://www.epa.gov/region4/water/tmdl or by writing EPA: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Water Management Division, ATT: Ms Yvonne Martin, 61 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, Georgia, 30303. The complete administrative record for the total annual load may be reviewed at EPA’s South Florida Office at 400 North Congress Avenue, suite 120, West Palm Beach, Florida, and at EPA’s Atlanta Office, 61 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, Georgia, 30303. EPA is seeking public comments on the proposed total annual load of phosphorus. The public comment period will be open from January 3, 2000, to March 17, 2000. A public meeting is also being scheduled for February, 2000, in the Lake Okeechobee area. Comments should be mailed to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4, Water Management Division, ATT: Ms Yvonne Martin, 61 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, Georgia, 30303.