Florida Sues EPA to Block Water Pollution Rules
Florida sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday (Dec. 7th) seeking to block new clean water regulations opposed by business and agriculture interests as well as some municipal utilities.
The federal lawsuit alleges the rules, which apply only to Florida, are unfair, arbitrary and lack scientific support. Florida is the first state where EPA has imposed such regulations, although 13 others have adopted similar rules of their own.
"They're picking on Florida," said Attorney General Bill McCollum. "I've heard nobody in EPA say 'We're going to go after Georgia next.' ... We're happy we're the focus of some attention, but this is a little bit more than we think we're justified to have--in fact, a whole lot more."
The regulations are required by EPA's settlement of an earlier federal lawsuit that five environmental groups filed in Tallahassee....