Environmental Considerations for a Sustainable Emerald Coast

1. Environmental Considerations for a Sustainable Emerald Coast Darryl Boudreau Assistant Director, Northwest District Florida Department of Environmental Protection Darryl.boudreau@dep.state.fl.us 232-0276

2. Agenda • Air Quality • Water Quality • Waste Disposal • FDEP Initiatives

3. Environmental Condition of the Emerald Coast – Air Quality • Currently all four counties are in attainment for ambient air quality standards (CO, Lead, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, SOx) • Escambia County (5 locations measuring ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrous dioxide and particulate matter • NAS – started in 1980 measures Ozone • Warrington Elementary School – started in 1997 measures Ozone • Ellyson Industrial Park – started in 1975 measures Ozone, Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, PM10, and PM2.5, Oakcrest Elementary School – collected 2 years of data for PM2.5 , but this monitor is being removed from the network and the data collected will not be used in evaluating attainment status. • Frank Reeder Road – collected 2 years of data for PM2.5 , but this monitor is being removed from the network and the data collected will not be used in evaluating attainment status. • Santa Rosa County • Woodlawn Beach Middle School – started in 2005 measures Ozone (will be adding PM2.5 in 2007) • Besides the impact on human health, the net effect of going nonattainment for an air quality standard is the need to develop and implement a “State Implementation Plan” (SIP) for returning the area to attainment which will include stricter regulations and use of more effective pollution control technology. • Nonattainment designations are negotiated between the FDEP and EPA but typically range from the county where the violation exits to the MSA of the county where the violation exists. If a standard is lowered to the point where all of the monitors in an area result in violations, then counties/MSAs that do not have monitors would be most likely be included.

4. Environmental Condition of the Emerald Coast – Air Quality • Major pollutants of concern in the Emerald Coast area are Ozone and PM2.5: • Ozone – primary causes are NOx, VOCs, Sunlight. • PM2.5 – primary causes are NOx, SOx • Annual PM2.5 Standard is 15.0 and our 3 year average ending in 2005 is 11.7 and has been relatively stable. (see attachment for more detail) • Ozone Design Value is 83 and has remained relatively stable at that level. The Ozone Standard is 85. (see attachment for more detail) • The Clean Air Science Advisory Committee is seeking to revise the Ozone standard and if they have their way, Florida as a whole could be non attainment for Ozone depending on what level is actually set. We don’t anticipate the standard being revised for several years. • Ozone and PM2.5 appear to be closely related so the solutions will most likely be the same for both

5. Environmental Condition of the Emerald Coast – Air Quality • Effective solutions to each must focus on both the supply and demand side of the equation: • Benefit of reducing emissions / kilowatts generated is reduced if at the same time demand for kilowatts increases • Can’t reduce the average vehicle miles traveled if public transportation or walking/biking infrastructure is unavailable

6. Environmental Condition of the Emerald Coast – Air Quality • Other successes and further information: • Industry emissions • Arizona Chemical – Performance Track participant – between 2002 and 2006 hazardous waste was reduced 75%, solid waste reduced 22%, air emissions reduced 67 % and toxic materials in the waste water discharged were reduced 91%. • Education – Gulf Coast Ozone Study, Ozone Prediction, Air Now • www.dep.state.fl.us/air/publications/techrpt.htm- monitoring network description, annually reported pollutant levels, quick look report, etc. • www.dep.state.fl.us/air/airquality.htm- AQI & Forecast, Single Site data, etc.

7. Environmental Condition of the Emerald Coast – Water Quality • *% of total water bodies in the County • **Some waters delisted on 303(d) Impaired Waters List with others listed for the first time. • *** Habitat Loss due to noted pollution sources and coastal growth is of major concern in all the counties addressed

8. Environmental Condition of the Emerald Coast – Water Quality FDEP Actions to address water quality issues • Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/tmdl/index.htm) • .Identify what standards (nutrients, dissolved oxygen, etc.) water bodies are not meeting (impaired), • identify how much pollution can the water body absorb and maintain its designated use, • through regulatory and non regulatory actions, ensure that the carrying capacity is not exceeded (will likely include both regulated and unregulated sources) – through the implementation of a Basis Management Action Plan (B-MAP). • Permitting Innovation. • Regional Offsite Mitigation Areas (ROMA) • NWD implementing ERP phased over 2 years. Year 1 (2007) stormwater quantity as well as quality (previously was only quality) and year 2 (2008) wetland including isolated wetlands.  Responsibilities will be split between NWFWMD and FDEP depending on type.  • Universal Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM) designed to ensure “functional value” is maintained. • Ecosystem Management Agreement – holistic permitting approach that focuses on sustainable development – balancing development plans with environmental needs (St. Joe Development Ecosystem Management Agreement and Bay County Airport relocation) • Beneficial Reuse of effluent (IP, Main Street Plant) • Habitat Restoration. Developing community partnerships to restore our communities’ natural habitats through our “living shoreline” (restoring saltmarsh, seagrass and oyster reef systems) and riverine/wetland programs – (Project Greenshores, Glynn Key Stormwater Project)

9. Environmental Condition of the Emerald Coast – Waste Management • Clash between waste management facilities (Construction and Demolition and Land Clearing Debris) and residential development. • DEP permitting limitations • Unable to consider local government zoning • Limited to requirements in rule, but push the envelope when able (e.g., cover requirements) • Next steps: • Solid Waste Rule is currently being modified – continuous 3:1 slopes and some help to require frequent cover C&Ds • Evaluate results on H2S assessments • County Ordinances to further control siting etc.

10. Environmental Condition of the Emerald Coast – Other related DEP Initiatives • Programs focusing on sustainable development • Clean Marina • Clean Lodging • Pollution Prevention • 2007 County Outreach Program