In the article below, Manasota-88 explains the latest damage proposed by the EPA.
This falls right in line with Florida’s policy of helping polluters at the expense of the environment.
We encourage you to oppose this issue as described below.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
Exempting Florida’s Large Air Polluters
On September 12, 2025, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to permanently remove 46 source categories from the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program.
According to the EPA Tool (FLIGHT) 179 polluting industrial facilities located in Florida will no longer have to report their greenhouse gas emissions to the EPA.
4 of these industrial plants are in Manatee County including Tropicana Manufacturing, Gulfstream Station, Lena Road Landfill and Manatee Power in Parrish, Florida.
The Bee Ridge Landfill and the Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex in Sarasota County will also be exempt from reporting their greenhouse gas releases.
Additionally, 4 Phosphoric Acid Production Plants in Florida (Mosaic Bartow Facility, Mosaic New Wales Facility, Mosaic Riverview Facility and White Springs Agricultural Chemical, Inc.) will no longer be required to report their greenhouse gas emissions.
The reduction in the monitoring of air pollutants such as Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide and Fluorinated greenhouse gases is a significant environmental and public health issue.
The reduction in air quality monitoring is coming at a time when state regulatory agencies are showing their willingness to lower environmental standards. Florida will likely reduce their air monitoring programs due to a lack of funding. We cannot count on state or the federal government for protection from air pollution.
The proposed changes to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program makes it harder for the public to find out how much greenhouse gases are being released in their area. It is estimated that nearly 8,000 facilities nationwide will provide less information on the gases released, these facilities include refineries, power plants, oil wells and landfills.
ManaSota-88 is strongly opposed to the EPA action to dismantle the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. This is a program that has successfully and efficiently helped make communities around the country safer and healthier. The reporting rollbacks planned by EPA make no sense whatsoever.
EPA relies too heavily on industry to determine how they are going to meet applicable air quality standards. Certainly, there is nothing in the industry’s past performance to justify this responsibility.
Clean air is an important part of our economy. Increases in pollution will erode the prosperity of our coastal communities, which depend greatly on tourist, retirement and other health-related recreational-oriented activities.
It is essential that the public stay involved in the process of setting environmental and public health priorities. If environmental laws are going to protect the health and safety of the public, they will need to be enforced more consistently and vigorously.
How to comment on the proposed changes to the
Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program
EPA will hold a virtual public hearing for the proposed action 15 days after publication of this proposal in the Federal Register. Further details about the public hearing, including registration, will be available at https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/rulemaking-notices-ghg-reporting
EPA will accept comments for 47 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.
Comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0186, may be submitted via one of the following methods:
• Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ and follow the online instructions for submitting a comment.
• Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, Docket ID No. EPA-HQOAR-2025-0186, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460.
• Hand/Courier Delivery: EPA Docket Center, WJC West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004. The Docket Center’s
