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Workshop Regarding Potential Revisions to Ordinance No. 2013-34 Expanding Restrictions on Fertilizer Application
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BRIEF OVERVIEW
Weeki Wachee Springs and River are currently impaired due to excessive nitrates. In a response to the 2016 Florida Aquifer and Springs Protection Act, The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) implemented a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP), which identified a maximum load of nitrates that the Weeki Wachee Spring could sustain environmentally, with a 20-year goal to reduce the nitrates below this mandated level.
As identified in the BMAP, fertilizers are one of the largest contributing sources of nitrate pollution in the Weeki Wachee system. In an effort to improve water quality and reduce the amount of nitrates affecting Weeki Wachee Springs, a revision to the current fertilizer ordinance is being considered. This workshop will cover several items within the fertilizer ordinance, including adding seasonal restrictions where nitrogen fertilizer may not be applied, inclusion of slow-release nitrogen requirement, and broadening of fertilizer exclusion zones from water bodies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
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LEGAL NOTE
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RECOMMENDATION
The Board review the items presented, and provide direction to staff regarding any proposed revisions to Hernando County’s Fertilizer Ordinance.