The Trump administration has failed to update Florida’s outdated water pollution standards as required by law, putting people at risk of consuming toxins through shellfish and other aquatic animals, environmental groups said Tuesday.
EPA concluded in 2022 that Florida’s water quality standards for dozens of pollutants did not reflect the latest science and proposed new, more protective standards the following year. But the agency withdrew that proposal in January, shortly after President Donald Trump took office.
That decision likely violated the Clean Water Act and could leave Floridians exposed to high levels of mercury, benzene and other harmful pollutants, according to a new lawsuit. The state is home to major recreational fisheries and seafood industries and has been described as the ”fishing capital of the world” by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
“The goal of the Clean Water Act is to ensure that all U.S. waterways are ‘fishable and swimmable,’ but lax enforcement from our state and federal environmental protection agencies has prevented that goal from becoming a reality,” Jen Lomberk, chair of Waterkeepers Florida, said in a statement. “Floridians deserve water that is clean and safe enough to swim in and fish from.”
