Earthjustice Claims DEP Failing to Protect Florida Waters

Environmental advocacy groups has filed a legal challenge against Florida's Department of Environmental Protection claiming the state has failed to protect state waterways from toxic algae outbreaks.

Earthjustice, a national public-interest environmental law firm, claims the state rules fail because they require waters to reach a dangerous and potentially toxic level before they are deemed unsafe.

"Petitioners challenge the existing and proposed rules because, contrary to FDEPs claims, the rules are not designed to protect state waters from the adverse impacts of nutrient overenrichment," the petition filed Thursday stated. "Instead, these rules go so far as to prevent a finding of impairment due to nutrients until the waterbody is covered with nutrient-fueled toxic blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)."

Signing the petition that seeks to invalidate the rules are: the Florida Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club Inc., Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida, and St. Johns Riverkeeper.

*This article has been modified. Earthjustice was incorrectly identified.