The Citrus County Commission on Tuesday voted to send a resolution to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) petition to the EPA on water quality standards.

The state agency’s petition asks the EPA to rescind its determination to establish numeric nutrient criteria for Florida and to repeal the EPA's Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Lakes and Flowing Waters.

The county resolution, noting flaws in the EPA figures that pointed out by the regional water district, is supports the DEP petition. The resolution notes the negative impact on the state’s economy and infrastructure if the standards were to be enforced.

Commissioner Winn Webb said Florida was an initial target for the EPA water standards simply because it was one of the few states that actually did a good job in developing numbers relating to its water quality issues which was, in effect, penalizing it for trying to quantify its water quality issues.