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The Florida Senate

CS/CS/CS/CS/HB 503 — Environmental Regulation

by State Affairs Committee; Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee; Rulemaking and Regulation Subcommittee; Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee; and Rep. Patronis and others (CS/CS/CS/SB 716 by Budget Subcommittee on General Government Appropriations; Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee; Community Affairs Committee; and Senators Bennett and Evers)

This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.

Prepared by: Community Affairs Committee (CA)

The bill:

            Prohibits a county or a municipality from conditioning the processing for a development permit on an applicant obtaining a permit or approval from any other state or federal agency;

            Authorizes the DEP to issue a coastal construction permit before an applicant receives an incidental take authorization;

            Expands eligibility for those entities entitled to reduced or waived permit processing fees;

            Expands the use of Internet-based self-certification services and general permits;

            Exempts previously authorized underground injection wells from ch. 373, part III, F.S., except for Class V, Group 1 wells;

            Reduces the time for agency action or proposed action on a permit from 90 to 60 days;

            Provides for an expanded state programmatic general permit;

            Raises the qualifying low-scored site initiative priority ranking score from 10 to 29, and exempts certain expenditures from counting against the program;

            Revises qualifications for fiscal assistance for innocent victim petroleum storage system restoration;

            Provides expedited permitting for intermodal logistic centers (inland ports);

            Authorizes zones of discharges existing installations, with certain limitations;

            Revises requirements for permit revocation;

            Revises the definition for “financially disadvantaged small community”;

            Revises the definition of industrial sludge;

            Specifies recycling credits available for counties that operate waste-to-energy facilities;

            Revises provisions related to solid waste disposal and management;

            Provides for a general permit for small surface water management systems;

            Expands the definition for “transient noncommunity water systems” to include religious institutions;

            Clarifies creation of regional permit action teams for certain businesses;

            Allows for sale of unblended fuels for specified applications, and specifies that alternative fuels other than ethanol may be used as blending fuels for blending gasoline; and

            Prohibits the collection of permit renewal fees for those permits that were automatically extended by Chapter 2011-139, ss. 73 and 79, L.O.F.

If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect July 1, 2012.

 

Vote: Senate 40-0; House 112-0