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imagine any other responsible farmer sending, any workers into any groves for a very long time <br /> after the dumping of tons of biosolids on the land. Based on the amounts of biosolids being <br /> dumped on fields in the area of Blue Cypress Lake, the time between the application of biosolids <br /> and the time when a responsible farmer would allow the reentry of workers would be so long that <br /> it would be impossible to grow and harvest a commercially viable crop. <br /> Three specific points on the proposed rule: <br /> 1. 62-640.100(1)(h) — The rule gives up to three years from its effective date to achieve <br /> compliance. Given that the effective date will very possibly be more than a year from <br /> now, this will mean that hundreds of thousands of additional biosolids will probably be <br /> dumped on fields that need essentially no phosphorus. This will lead to significant <br /> additional degradation of the waters of the state. The additional dumping of biosolids at <br /> rates similar to those at which they have been dumped over the past four years for an <br /> additional four years will most probably put Bh'e Cypress Lake in a crisis condition. The <br /> time to come into compliance with any new rules should be significantly shortened. <br /> 2. 62-6450.500 Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) — If protection of Florida waters is a <br /> goal of the rule-making process, the goal will not be met with this rule. The rule is bad <br /> law in the sense that it is so loose and vague in certain areas that no two people will have <br /> the same understanding of what it means. <br /> Worse for the environment is that the rule is heavily -favored to allow the inappropriate <br /> application of biosolids, rather than to protect Florida waters. Two examples of this are, <br /> first, (5)(1) directs respondents to "Include a discussion of the risk associated with <br /> phosphorus accumulation and a proposed phosphorus drawdown strategy if the soil <br /> phosphorus levels are increasing on any application zones on the site." (Emphasis added) <br /> If soil phosphorus levels are increasing on Florida lands that need very little if any <br /> phosphorus to begin with, the response should not be a "discussion"; if the health of the <br /> environment is of any concern, it should be to immediately stop applying more <br /> phosphorus. <br /> Second. (8) states: "When considering the availability of nitrogen in biosolids, once the <br /> amount of plant available nitrogen to be supplied has been determined (i.e., the crop <br /> nitrogen demand has been adjusted to take other sources of nitrogen into account), this <br /> amount may be multiplied by a.factor Q/1.5 (i. e. a 50 percent increase) to determine the <br /> amount of nitrogen that may be supplied by biosolids." (Emphasis added) If I understand <br /> this provision correctly, it will allow biosolids -- at a time when excess nitrogen and <br /> phosphorus are said to be one of the major cause of polluted waters in Florida -- to be <br /> applied at clearly excessive rates. This agronomically irresponsible allowance of 50 <br /> percent more nitrogen than the plant needs is particularly dangerous given the roughly <br /> 2.5TN:ITP in Class B biosolids, which before the 50 percent increase provides <br /> phosphorus five-to-ten times greater than crop needs. <br /> This section should be changed to something much simpler and designed to both allow <br /> the application of biosolids, albeit at reduced levels, and to protect the environment. <br />