Meeting with Florida Local Officials Re: Proposed Numeric Nutrient Criteria Standards Wednesday, October 06, 2010 EPA Attendees: Sarah Hospodor

- Pallone, OCI R

Arvin Ganesan, OCIR Jack Bowles, OCIR Arnita Hannon, OCIR B ecky Cook, OCI R Denis Borum, OCI R Ephraim King, OW Bob Sussman, OA Larr y Elworth, OA Stephanie Owens, OPA Allison Wise, R4 Jim Giattina , R4 Florida Attendees: May or James Tully , Cit y of Titusville

Ray netta Grant, Water Resources Director, City of Titusville May or Daniel Raulerson, City of Plant City Jeffrey Thompson, P.E., Deput y Director of Opera tions/Utilities , City of Cocoa Jim Davenport (Alcalde & Fay ), representing Seminole County Chip Merriam, Orlando Utilities Commission Li nda ?? (Getting her full name and title) Edward P. de la Parte, Jr., representing various Florida communities

 Overriding concern : is the impact of numeric nutrient criteria on small communities
 Mayor Raulerson: Plant City has a mostly

blue

- collar population of 25,000. Smithfield Meats recently left the city , causing the city to lose $6 million in annual revenue through water utility fees, which they

depend on fo r the city ’s operating costs. The additional cost of implementing the proposed rule (EPA estimate) c ould cost each family an additional $200/y ear, whic h these families can’t afford. The cit y would have to cut its police, fire, and rescue operations. The city hopes to attract new businesses, but fears the businesses will choose to go elsewhere due to the proposed higher water and other environmental stand ards in Florida. EPA needs to find a more cost

- effective alternative.
 Mayor Tully : Titusville has a population of 44,000 and ecotourism is a major part of the cit y’s economy . The city has been working with the FL Department of Environment to develop site

- s pecific TMDLs. The May or stressed the importance of home rule in Florida , emphasizing that there is no “one

- size

- fits

- all” approach and that the desire is to solve proble ms at the lowest level possible, beginning with the State and not necessaril y the fede ral level.
 City of Cocoa: The cit y has a population of 16,500, and its utility supplies water to the Kenned y Space Center and other federal facilities and military bases. Thecity has an unemploy

ment rate of 16.7%, plus upcoming NASA lay offs. The utility supplies chloraminated water through an extensive distribution sy stem. The federal facilities add additional treatments to the water, resulting in nitrogen levels that are higher than the proposed standard. The Federal Facilities also have to do an extens ive amount of system flushing, since they are distant from the finished water treatment facilities.
 Chip Merriam, OUC: CWA and CAA (BACT, Transport, CAIR rules) requirements are hitting small communities at the same time, resulting in very high costs. The Commission wants an exemption for the reuse of water; reuse of treated wastewater is a critical part of Florida’s water conservation program along with protecting groundwater resources. FL DEP requires that 60% of ocean outfall must be reused. The Commissi on is also worried about the impact on potable water used for irrigation. Key Issues
 Reuse: the communities need clarifications (levels of treatment, sources, destinations) on requirements and how existing reuse programs may fit into requirements of the p roposed numeric nutrients rule

.  TMDL s: the officials will provide a list of the priority TMDLs impacted by the proposed numeric nutrient criteria.
 Potable water : EPA needs a better understanding of the communities’ concerns and approaches . Florida Represe ntative s indicated that in many cased runoff of potable water used for irrigation would exceed the proposed phosphorous limits.
 Difference between a concentration and a load : The local officials are seeking clarification from EPA and want further dialogue Follow
- up  FL officials will provide clarifications and list of priority TMDLs
 Ephraim King (OW) will work with Jim Giattina (R4) and OIR to set up follow

up conference call s with the Florida officials to explore the key issues above in more detail.