Phosphorus Pollution in Florida’s Waters

The Need for Aggressive Action to Protect Florida's Rivers and Streams from Nutrient Runoff

The excess flow of nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, into Florida’s waterways has led to serious water quality problems—ranging from dramatic changes in the distribution of plant species in parts of the Everglades to algae blooms and fish kills in waterways such as Lake Apopka and Lake Okeechobee. But while Florida has made progress against nutrient pollution in some specific cases, the state’s overall response has been insufficient to ensure the cleanup of already polluted waterways and the prevention of future nutrient pollution problems. 

Report

The excess flow of nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, into Florida’s waterways has led to serious water quality problems—ranging from dramatic changes in the distribution of plant species in parts of the Everglades to algae blooms and fish kills in waterways such as Lake Apopka and Lake Okeechobee. But while Florida has made progress against nutrient pollution in some specific cases, the state’s overall response has been insufficient to ensure the cleanup of already polluted waterways and the prevention of future nutrient pollution problems. 

Authors

Tony Dutzik

Associate Director and Senior Policy Analyst, Frontier Group

Tony Dutzik is associate director and senior policy analyst with Frontier Group. His research and ideas on climate, energy and transportation policy have helped shape public policy debates across the U.S., and have earned coverage in media outlets from the New York Times to National Public Radio. A former journalist, Tony lives and works in Boston.