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Page 12 <br />Attachment B: Supporting Research <br />November 24, 2020 <br />Update 2 — Research Review Phase of IRL Plan <br />8,087 lbs/yr of TP. In Project Zone SIRL, as of most recent draft allocation numbers, the County has a <br />required reduction of 2 lbs/yr of TN and 1 lbs/yr of TP. This brings the County's total reductions to 210,695 <br />lbs/yr of TN and 29,649 lbs/yr of TP, well in excess of the initial numbers discussed during TMDL <br />development under the previous model. <br />FDEP's statewide ruling on biosolids is currently under revision and has the potential to impact the <br />health of the Lagoon through surface water and groundwater transport of excess nutrients. FDEP is <br />developing these amendments to ensure the proper management, use, and land application of biosolids <br />to protect waters of the state from nutrient pollution, and in a manner that minimizes the migration of <br />nutrients to prevent the impairment of waterbodies. Draft revisions include changes to the nutrient <br />management plans (NMP), which includes updates to the criteria used for determining biosolids <br />application rates, descriptions on how it complies with any applicable BMAPs, requirement for (at least) <br />annual soil fertility testing, provisions for septage application rates, and annual requirements to review <br />NMPs and make revisions as applicable. These draft revisions also include changes to monitoring, record <br />keeping, reporting, and notification of biosolid application. These changes include methods for water <br />extractable phosphorus (WEP), required monitoring of WEPs in biosolids, required soil fertility testing to <br />use the "Phosphorus Index" test provided by the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural <br />Services (IFAS) Extension Lab, revised groundwater monitoring requirements, and the inclusion of surface <br />water monitoring for sites next to surface waters. The draft revisions also include changes to the <br />requirements for land application of biosolids, which includes prohibition of land application on soils <br />having a seasonal high water table less than 15 cm from soil surface or within 15 cm of the intended depth <br />of biosolids placement. Finally, the changes included some septage provisions, and provisions related to <br />the public interest of biosolid permit applications. However, these changes still allow local governments <br />to keep existing biosolid ordinances, so it is recommended that the County continue their moratorium on <br />the land application of biosolids in order to protect the Lagoon. <br />With an update effective as of July 1, 2020, Senate Bill 712, "The Clean Waterways Act," takes a step <br />towards protecting water quality and conserving natural resources in the state by minimizing impacts of <br />known sources of nutrient pollutions. This update provides changes to protocols for the following topics: <br />onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, wastewater treatment, stormwater, agriculture, biosolids, <br />fines and penalties, water quality monitoring, bottle water, and golf courses. The updates from this bill <br />are as follows: <br />• Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems <br />o Transfers the Onsite Sewage Program from the Department of Health (DOH) to FDEP <br />starting in 2021, with a temporary advisory committee <br />o Requires local governments to create septic remediation plans for areas falling within <br />certain BMAPs <br />o Fast tracks the approval process for nutrient reducing septic systems <br />o Revises provisions relating to septic system setback rules <br />• Wastewater treatment <br />o Requires local governments to create wastewater treatment plans for certain BMAP <br />areas <br />113 <br />