The Florida Senate

403.704  Powers and duties of the department.--The department shall have responsibility for the implementation and enforcement of the provisions of this act. In addition to other powers and duties, the department shall:

(1)  Develop and implement, in consultation with local governments, a state solid waste management program, as defined in s. 403.705, and update the program at least every 3 years. In developing rules to implement the state solid waste management program, the department shall hold public hearings around the state and shall give notice of such public hearings to all local governments and regional planning agencies.

(2)  Provide technical assistance to counties, municipalities, and other persons, and cooperate with appropriate federal agencies and private organizations in carrying out the provisions of this act.

(3)  Promote the planning and application of recycling and resource recovery systems which preserve and enhance the quality of the air, water, and other natural resources of the state and assist in and encourage, where appropriate, the development of regional solid waste management facilities.

(4)  Serve as the official state representative for all purposes of the federal Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by Pub. L. No. 91-512, or as subsequently amended.

(5)  Use private industry or the State University System through contractual arrangements for implementation of some or all of the requirements of the state solid waste management program and for such other activities as may be considered necessary, desirable, or convenient.

(6)  Encourage recycling and resource recovery as a source of energy and materials.

(7)  Assist in and encourage, as much as possible, the development within the state of industries and commercial enterprises which are based upon resource recovery, recycling, and reuse of solid waste.

(8)  Charge reasonable fees for any services it performs pursuant to this act, provided user fees shall apply uniformly within each municipality or county to all users who are provided with solid waste management services.

(9)  Acquire, at its discretion, personal or real property or any interest therein by gift, lease, or purchase for the purpose of providing sites for solid waste management facilities.

(10)  Acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, maintain, equip, furnish, and operate, at its discretion, such solid waste management facilities as are called for by the state solid waste management program.

(11)  Receive funds or revenues from the sale of products, materials, fuels, or energy in any form derived from processing of solid waste by state-owned or state-operated facilities, which funds or revenues shall be deposited into the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund.

(12)  Determine by rule the facilities, equipment, personnel, and number of monitoring wells to be provided at each Class I solid waste disposal area.

(13)  Encourage, but not require, as part of a Class II solid waste disposal area, a potable water supply; an employee shelter; handwashing and toilet facilities; equipment washout facilities; electric service for operations and repairs; equipment shelter for maintenance and storage of parts, equipment, and tools; scales for weighing solid waste received at the disposal area; a trained equipment operator in full-time attendance during operating hours; and communication facilities for use in emergencies. The department may require an attendant at a Class II solid waste disposal area during the hours of operation if the department affirmatively demonstrates that such a requirement is necessary to prevent unlawful fires, unauthorized dumping, or littering of nearby property.

(14)  Require a Class II solid waste disposal area to have at least one monitoring well which shall be placed adjacent to the site in the direction of groundwater flow unless otherwise exempted by the department. The department may require additional monitoring wells not farther than 1 mile from the site if it is affirmatively demonstrated by the department that a significant change in the initial quality of the water has occurred in the downstream monitoring well which adversely affects the beneficial uses of the water. These wells may be public or private water supply wells if they are suitable for use in determining background water quality levels.

(15)  Adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement and enforce the provisions of this act, including requirements for the classification, construction, operation, maintenance, and closure of solid waste management facilities and requirements for, and conditions on, solid waste disposal in this state, whether such solid waste is generated within this state or outside this state as long as such requirements and conditions are not based on the out-of-state origin of the waste and are consistent with applicable provisions of law. When classifying solid waste management facilities, the department shall consider the hydrogeology of the site for the facility, the types of wastes to be handled by the facility, and methods used to control the types of waste to be handled by the facility and shall seek to minimize the adverse effects of solid waste management on the environment. Whenever the department adopts any rule stricter or more stringent than one which has been set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the procedures set forth in s. 403.804(2) shall be followed. The department shall not, however, adopt hazardous waste rules for solid waste for which special studies were required prior to October 1, 1988, under s. 8002 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. s. 6982, as amended, until the studies are completed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the information is available to the department for consideration in adopting its own rule.

(16)  Issue or modify permits on such conditions as are necessary to effect the intent and purposes of this act, and may deny or revoke permits.

(17)  Conduct research, using the State University System, solid waste professionals from local governments, private enterprise, and other organizations, on alternative, economically feasible, cost-effective, and environmentally safe solid waste management and landfill closure methods which protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public and the environment and which may assist in developing markets and provide economic benefits to local governments, the state, and its citizens, and solicit public participation during the research process. The department shall incorporate such cost-effective landfill closure methods in the appropriate department rule as alternative closure requirements.

(18)  Develop and implement or contract for services to develop information on recovered materials markets and strategies for market development and expansion for use of these materials. Additionally, the department shall maintain a directory of recycling businesses operating in the state and shall serve as a coordinator to match recovered materials with markets. Such directory shall be made available to the public and to local governments to assist with their solid waste management activities.

(19)  Authorize variances from solid waste closure rules adopted pursuant to this part, provided such variances are applied for and approved in accordance with s. 403.201 and will not result in significant threats to human health or the environment.

(20)  Establish accounts and deposit to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund and control and administer moneys it may withdraw from the fund.

(21)  Manage a program of grants, using funds from the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund and funds provided by the Legislature for solid waste management, for programs for recycling, composting, litter control, and special waste management and for programs which provide for the safe and proper management of solid waste.

(22)  Budget and receive appropriated funds and accept, receive, and administer grants or other funds or gifts from public or private agencies, including the state and the Federal Government, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act.

(23)  Delegate its powers, enter into contracts, or take such other actions as may be necessary to implement this act.

(24)  Receive and administer funds appropriated for county hazardous waste management assessments.

(25)  Provide technical assistance to local governments and regional agencies to ensure consistency between county hazardous waste management assessments; coordinate the development of such assessments with the assistance of the appropriate regional planning councils; and review and make recommendations to the Legislature relative to the sufficiency of the assessments to meet state hazardous waste management needs.

(26)  Increase public education and public awareness of solid and hazardous waste issues by developing and promoting statewide programs of litter control, recycling, volume reduction, and proper methods of solid waste and hazardous waste management.

(27)  Assist the hazardous waste storage, treatment, or disposal industry by providing to the industry any data produced on the types and quantities of hazardous waste generated.

(28)  Institute a hazardous waste emergency response program which would include emergency telecommunication capabilities and coordination with appropriate agencies.

(29)  Promulgate rules necessary to accept delegation of the hazardous waste management program from the Environmental Protection Agency under the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984, Pub. L. No. 98-616.

(30)  Adopt rules, if necessary, to address the incineration and disposal of biomedical waste and the management of biological waste within the state, whether such waste is generated within this state or outside this state, as long as such requirements and conditions are not based on the out-of-state origin of the waste and are consistent with applicable provisions of law.

History.--s. 1, ch. 74-342; s. 1, ch. 75-54; s. 2, ch. 78-387; s. 5, ch. 80-302; ss. 21, 32, ch. 83-310; s. 31, ch. 84-338; s. 32, ch. 86-186; s. 6, ch. 88-130; s. 10, ch. 93-207; s. 3, ch. 96-284; s. 67, ch. 96-321; s. 104, ch. 98-200.