Rooney, LeMieux Support Florida Lawsuit against EPA
12/07/10
Endorse Florida AG McCollum’s Challenge to Block Proposed EPA Numeric Nutrient Rule
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney (FL-16) and U.S. Senator George LeMieux (R-FL) today endorsed the decision by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and Attorney General-elect Pam Bondi to file a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its proposed numeric nutrient rule for Florida.
“This lawsuit will put a stop to the EPA’s misguided assaults on Florida’s families and industries,” said Rep. Rooney. “Our economy continues to suffer with a double digit unemployment rate, a weak housing market and a struggling agriculture industry, and the EPA’s proposal would cost us billions of dollars and drive jobs out of our state. Now is not the time to punish Florida’s small businesses, workers and farmers with increased costs while they struggle to make ends meet.”
“This rule has the potential to cost our state billions of dollars, thousands of jobs, and drive up water bills. EPA should instead scrap the entire ruling in favor of regulations that are both economically responsible and steeped in sound, peer reviewed science,” said Senator LeMieux. “I have long believed the EPA’s move in regards to setting an arbitrary numeric nutrient standard is a dangerous overreach of the Federal government’s power. The standard dictated by the EPA is not grounded in appropriately peer-reviewed science, and should be scrapped.”
An April report concluded that that compliance with the EPA’s proposed numeric nutrient rule would cost Florida approximately $1 billion annually, with more than $1 billion per year in additional indirect economic costs. The full report is available HERE.
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