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3. Biosolids Background: One of the by-products or residuals of the wastewater treatment process is called biosolids or the wet sludge that is left behind after initial processing, which is then collected for further treatment and processing. Today, Florida's central sewer wastewater treatment facilities produce approximately 340,000 dry tons of biosol- ids. Approximately 100,000 dry tons of biosolids qualify as Class B biosolids, which are treated sewage sludge meeting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for land application as fertilizer with re- strictions, and are allowed to have detectable levels of pathogens. There is concern statewide that excess nutrients from land application of human waste biosolids reach surface waters as a result of rainfall runoff and continue to increase the occurrence of chronic harmful algal blooms. Land application of Class B biosolids has been restricted in various areas throughout the State of Florida. Most recently, in 2013, land application of Class B biosolids was banned in the watersheds containing Lake Okee- chobee and St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers. At the 2016 UF Water Symposium, St. Johns River Water Management District's staff reported that there are significant increases in phosphorus and incidences of harmful, potentially toxic algal outbreaks in Blue Cypress Lake, one Florida's most pristine lakes, a Class I waterbody. In 2018, cyanobacteria (commonly referred to as blue-green algae) was confirmed in Blue Cypress Lake, which is the headwaters of the St. Johns River and is located the Upper Basin watershed. Cyanobacteria was also reported in the Lower Basin in Duval County, and in the Okeechobee watershed which in turn has impacted the St. Lucie watershed and the Caloosahatchee wa- tershed. Position: Indian River County BCC SUPPORTS policies that restrict or ban the land application of Class B biosolids within the following watersheds that impact the St. Johns River: the Upper Basin, the Middle Basin, and the Lower Basin; and SUPPORTS establishing a pilot project program for funding new state of the art wastewater technologies to imprive recover and afford more efficient use of human wastewater biosolids. 133 7