Water standards fight heads to appeals court

TALLAHASSEE — Moving quickly after a judge tossed out challenges to controversial new state water-quality standards, the city of Miami has signaled it will continue battling in an appeals court.

The city has given notice that it will appeal a ruling last week by Administrative Law Judge Bram D.E. Canter, who rejected the challenges by Miami, Martin County, the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Florida Pulp and Paper Association Environmental Affairs, Inc.

Canter sided with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which argued that the challengers had missed a legal deadline in the cases.

Miami filed a notice of appeal Thursday in the 3rd District Court of Appeal, two days after Canter's ruling, court records show.

The water standards, which were developed by the Department of Environmental Protection and approved July 26 by the state Environmental Regulation Commission, have been highly controversial. They involve new and revised limits on chemicals in waterways, with the department saying the plan would allow it to regulate more chemicals while updating standards for others.