Status of Numeric Nutrient Criteria in Florida: What's Next in the Sunshine State and Other Regions?

Numeric Nutrient Criteria (NNC) were required to be implemented in all 50 states of the USA by 2003. However, as of 2008 only 18 states have partially adopted NNC, and no States have fully implemented it. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have sued the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set standards. Florida is the first state where NNC are being implemented by Federal force on a full scale, the results of which could set precedence for other states. Negotiation with the EPA and rulemaking is ongoing. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has submitted its own set of nutrient standards for waterbodies which is similar to but more flexible than the EPA version. The regulatory changes will have significant economic, environmental, and energy implications. A regulatory update of the status of NNC rulemaking is provided herein, and the status of NNC development in other states is also discussed.