Kevin Carter The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its intent to adopt numeric nutrient criteria for Florida’s water bodies (lakes, streams, canals and estuaries). The criterion is unprecedented in the nation and has drawn national attention to Florida’s water quality programs. The panel will discuss the legal genesis of this proposed rule, including the most up to date developments in the state legislature and Congress; its technical aspects, including the scientific basis for the rule; implementation and relief mechanisms; and the criteria’s impact on Florida’s current permitting programs, as well as its impact on a wide variety of stakeholders in Florida.