Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida
Filed: Dec. 01, 2011
The issues to be determined in these consolidated cases are whether existing Florida Administrative Code Rule 62-302.530(47)(b) of the Department of Environmental Protection ("Department"), referred to as the "narrative nutrient rule," is an invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority, and whether certain proposed rules of the Department, which amend Florida Administrative Code Chapters 62-302, entitled “Surface Water Quality Standards” and 62-303, entitled “Identification of Impaired Surface Waters,” are invalid exercises of delegated legislative authority.Petitioners failed to prove the DEP's narrative nutrient rule was an invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority. DEP proved the proposed changes to chapters 62-302 & 62-303 were not invalid exercises of delegated legislative authority.