Is DEP lowering water quality standards?
No. DEP is looking for ways to improve surface water quality standards and develop more effective programs to protect and restore Floridas water resources. DEPs goal will always be to promote high standards through appropriate classification, permitting, water quality monitoring, and restoration. The refinements under consideration would expand the current classification system to better account for the differences between human and aquatic life uses and their unique protection needs. The expanded classification system will allow DEP to better protect pristine waters and establish more realistic goals for artificial waters. Who is DEP working with on the possible changes to the reclassification system? In 2006 DEP formed a Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) of independent experts to help the agency consider the environmental, scientific, technical, economic, legal, and social factors involved with potential changes. Nominations were requested from a wide range of expert stakeholdersenviro
