Senate Bill sb2124e1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.




    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to liability under the

  3         drycleaning solvent cleanup program; amending

  4         s. 376.301, F.S.; defining the term "nearby

  5         real property owner"; amending s. 376.3078,

  6         F.S.; providing additional findings; exempting

  7         certain real property owners and others from

  8         claims for property damage arising from

  9         contamination by drycleaning solvents;

10         providing for retroactive application; amending

11         s. 376.308, F.S.; revising provisions governing

12         the statutory construction of immunity

13         provisions; amending s. 376.313, F.S.; revising

14         provisions governing remedies and actions for

15         damages; amending s. 376.3079, F.S.; revising

16         the definition of the term "third-party

17         liability"; amending s. 376.30781, F.S.;

18         conforming a statutory cross-reference;

19         providing an effective date.

20

21  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

22

23         Section 1.  Subsection (47) is added to section

24  376.301, Florida Statutes, to read:

25         376.301  Definitions of terms used in ss.

26  376.30-376.319, 376.70, and 376.75.--When used in ss.

27  376.30-376.319, 376.70, and 376.75, unless the context clearly

28  requires otherwise, the term:

29         (47)  "Nearby real property owner" means the individual

30  or entity that is vested with ownership, dominion, or legal or

31  rightful title to real property, or that has a ground lease in


                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  real property, onto which drycleaning solvent has migrated

  2  through soil or groundwater from a drycleaning or

  3  wholesale-supply facility eligible for site rehabilitation

  4  under s. 376.3078(3) or from a drycleaning or wholesale-supply

  5  facility that is approved by the department for voluntary

  6  cleanup under s. 376.3078(11).

  7         Section 2.  Subsections (1), (3) and (11) of section

  8  376.3078, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

  9         376.3078  Drycleaning facility restoration; funds;

10  uses; liability; recovery of expenditures.--

11         (1)  FINDINGS.--In addition to the legislative findings

12  set forth in s. 376.30, the Legislature finds and declares

13  that:

14         (a)  Significant quantities of drycleaning solvents

15  have been discharged in the past at drycleaning facilities as

16  part of the normal operation of these facilities.

17         (b)  Discharges of drycleaning solvents at such

18  drycleaning facilities have occurred and are occurring, and

19  pose a significant threat to the quality of the groundwaters

20  and inland surface waters of this state.

21         (c)  Where contamination of the groundwater or surface

22  water has occurred, remedial measures have often been delayed

23  for long periods while determinations as to liability and the

24  extent of liability are made, and such delays result in the

25  continuation and intensification of the threat to the public

26  health, safety, and welfare; in greater damage to the

27  environment; and in significantly higher costs to contain and

28  remove the contamination.

29         (d)  Adequate financial resources must be readily

30  available to provide for the expeditious supply of safe and

31  reliable alternative sources of potable water to affected


                                  2

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  persons and to provide a means for investigation and

  2  rehabilitation of contaminated sites without delay.

  3         (e)  It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage

  4  real property owners to undertake the voluntary cleanup of

  5  property contaminated with drycleaning solvents and that the

  6  immunity provisions of this section and all other available

  7  defenses be construed in favor of real property owners.

  8         (f)  Strong public interests are served by subsections

  9  (3) and (11) such as improving the marketability and use of,

10  and ability to borrow funds as to, property contaminated by

11  drycleaning solvents and encouraging the voluntary remediation

12  of contaminated sites. The extent to which claims or rights

13  are affected by subsections (3) and (11) is offset by the

14  remedies created in this section and the limitations imposed

15  by these subsections on such claims or rights are reasonable

16  when balanced against the public interests served. The claims

17  or rights affected by subsections (3) and (11) are speculative

18  and these subsections are intended to prevent judicial

19  interpretations allowing windfall awards that thwart the

20  public interest provisions of this section.

21         (3)  REHABILITATION LIABILITY.--

22         (a)  In accordance with the eligibility provisions of

23  this section, a no real property owner or nearby real property

24  owner or no person who owns or operates, or who otherwise

25  could be liable as a result of the operation of, a drycleaning

26  facility or a wholesale supply facility is not liable for or

27  shall be subject to:

28         1.  Claims of any person, except for any governmental

29  entity, for property damages of any kind, including, but not

30  limited to, diminished value of real property or improvements,

31  lost or delayed rent, sale or use of real property or


                                  3

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  improvements, or stigma to real property or improvements

  2  caused by drycleaning-solvent contamination; or

  3         2.  Administrative or judicial action brought by or on

  4  behalf of any state or local government or agency thereof or

  5  by or on behalf of any person to compel rehabilitation or pay

  6  for the costs of rehabilitation of environmental contamination

  7  resulting from the discharge of drycleaning solvents.

  8

  9  Subject to the delays that may occur as a result of the

10  prioritization of sites under this section for any qualified

11  site, costs for activities described in paragraph (2)(b) shall

12  be absorbed at the expense of the drycleaning facility

13  restoration funds, without recourse to reimbursement or

14  recovery from the real property owner, nearby real property

15  owner, or the owner or operator of the drycleaning facility or

16  the wholesale supply facility. Notwithstanding any other

17  provisions of this chapter, this subsection applies to causes

18  of action accruing on or after the effective date of this act

19  and applies retroactively to causes of action accruing before

20  the effective date of this act, for which a lawsuit has not

21  been filed.

22         (b)  The real property owner shall provide the

23  following documents to any nearby real property owner within

24  60 days after receiving a written request from the nearby

25  property owner, delivered by certified mail and specifying a

26  return address for receipt of documents:

27         1.  A certified copy of the department's Order of

28  Eligibility for the drycleaning solvent contamination,

29  suitable for recordation in the public records of any county;

30  and

31


                                  4

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1         2.  A statement, either obtained from the department or

  2  prepared by the real property owner, that the real property

  3  owner's property contains a drycleaning facility or a

  4  wholesale-supply facility eligible for site rehabilitation as

  5  provided in this section and that contamination resulting from

  6  such facility, including any contamination which has migrated

  7  onto the nearby real property owner's property, will be

  8  cleaned up under the provisions of this section. The

  9  department shall prepare such statements when requested by the

10  real property owner and shall assist the real property owner

11  in providing such information to the nearby real property

12  owner.

13         3.  The real property owner's failure to provide the

14  documents described in this paragraph within 60 days after a

15  request from the nearby real property owner shall waive the

16  real property owner's immunity provided in subparagraph (a)1.,

17  only as to the nearby real property owner's claims described

18  in subparagraph (a)1., if any.

19         (c)(a)  With regard to drycleaning facilities or

20  wholesale supply facilities that have operated as drycleaning

21  facilities or wholesale supply facilities on or after October

22  1, 1994, any such drycleaning facility or wholesale supply

23  facility at which there exists contamination by drycleaning

24  solvents shall be eligible under this subsection regardless of

25  when the drycleaning contamination was discovered, provided

26  that the drycleaning facility or the wholesale supply

27  facility:

28         1.  Has been registered with the department;

29         2.  Is determined by the department to be in compliance

30  with the department's rules regulating drycleaning solvents,

31


                                  5

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  drycleaning facilities, or wholesale supply facilities on or

  2  after November 19, 1980;

  3         3.  Has not been operated in a grossly negligent manner

  4  at any time on or after November 19, 1980;

  5         4.  Has not been identified to qualify for listing, nor

  6  is listed, on the National Priority List pursuant to the

  7  Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and

  8  Liability Act of 1980 as amended by the Superfund Amendments

  9  and Reauthorization Act of 1986, and as subsequently amended;

10         5.  Is not under an order from the United States

11  Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to s. 3008(h) of the

12  Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as amended (42 U.S.C.A.

13  s. 6928(h)), or has not obtained and is not required to obtain

14  a permit for the operation of a hazardous waste treatment,

15  storage, or disposal facility, a postclosure permit, or a

16  permit pursuant to the federal Hazardous and Solid Waste

17  Amendments of 1984;

18

19  and provided that the real property owner or the owner or

20  operator of the drycleaning facility or the wholesale supply

21  facility has not willfully concealed the discharge of

22  drycleaning solvents and has remitted all taxes due pursuant

23  to ss. 376.70 and 376.75, has provided documented evidence of

24  contamination by drycleaning solvents as required by the rules

25  developed pursuant to this section, has reported the

26  contamination prior to December 31, 1998, and has not denied

27  the department access to the site.

28         (d)(b)  With regard to drycleaning facilities or

29  wholesale supply facilities that cease to be operated as

30  drycleaning facilities or wholesale supply facilities prior to

31  October 1, 1994, such facilities, at which there exists


                                  6

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  contamination by drycleaning solvents, shall be eligible under

  2  this subsection regardless of when the contamination was

  3  discovered, provided that the drycleaning facility or

  4  wholesale supply facility:

  5         1.  Was not determined by the department, within a

  6  reasonable time after the department's discovery, to have been

  7  out of compliance with the department rules regulating

  8  drycleaning solvents, drycleaning facilities, or wholesale

  9  supply facilities implemented at any time on or after November

10  19, 1980;

11         2.  Was not operated in a grossly negligent manner at

12  any time on or after November 19, 1980;

13         3.  Has not been identified to qualify for listing, nor

14  is listed, on the National Priority List pursuant to the

15  Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and

16  Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments

17  and Reauthorization Act of 1986, and as subsequently amended;

18  and

19         4.  Is not under an order from the United States

20  Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to s. 3008(h) of the

21  Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, or has not

22  obtained and is not required to obtain a permit for the

23  operation of a hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal

24  facility, a postclosure permit, or a permit pursuant to the

25  federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984;

26

27  and provided that the real property owner or the owner or

28  operator of the drycleaning facility or the wholesale supply

29  facility has not willfully concealed the discharge of

30  drycleaning solvents, has provided documented evidence of

31  contamination by drycleaning solvents as required by the rules


                                  7

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  developed pursuant to this section, has reported the

  2  contamination prior to December 31, 1998, and has not denied

  3  the department access to the site.

  4         (e)(c)  For purposes of determining eligibility, a

  5  drycleaning facility or wholesale supply facility was operated

  6  in a grossly negligent manner if the department determines

  7  that the owner or operator of the drycleaning facility or the

  8  wholesale supply facility:

  9         1.  Willfully discharged drycleaning solvents onto the

10  soils or into the waters of the state after November 19, 1980,

11  with the knowledge, intent, and purpose that the discharge

12  would result in harm to the environment or to public health or

13  result in a violation of the law;

14         2.  Willfully concealed a discharge of drycleaning

15  solvents with the knowledge, intent, and purpose that the

16  concealment would result in harm to the environment or to

17  public health or result in a violation of the law; or

18         3.  Willfully violated a local, state, or federal law

19  or rule regulating the operation of drycleaning facilities or

20  wholesale supply facilities with the knowledge, intent, and

21  purpose that the act would result in harm to the environment

22  or to public health or result in a violation of the law.

23         (f)(d)1.  With respect to eligible drycleaning solvent

24  contamination reported to the department as part of a

25  completed application as required by the rules developed

26  pursuant to this section by June 30, 1997, the costs of

27  activities described in paragraph (2)(b) shall be absorbed at

28  the expense of the drycleaning facility restoration funds,

29  less a $1,000 deductible per incident, which shall be paid by

30  the applicant or current property owner. The deductible shall

31


                                  8

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  be paid within 60 days after receipt of billing by the

  2  department.

  3         2.  For contamination reported to the department as

  4  part of a completed application as required by the rules

  5  developed under this section, from July 1, 1997, through

  6  September 30, 1998, the costs shall be absorbed at the expense

  7  of the drycleaning facility restoration funds, less a $5,000

  8  deductible per incident. The deductible shall be paid within

  9  60 days after receipt of billing by the department.

10         3.  For contamination reported to the department as

11  part of a completed application as required by the rules

12  developed pursuant to this section from October 1, 1998,

13  through December 31, 1998, the costs shall be absorbed at the

14  expense of the drycleaning facility restoration funds, less a

15  $10,000 deductible per incident. The deductible shall be paid

16  within 60 days after receipt of billing by the department.

17         4.  For contamination reported after December 31, 1998,

18  no costs will be absorbed at the expense of the drycleaning

19  facility restoration funds.

20         (g)(e)  The provisions of this subsection shall not

21  apply to any site where the department has been denied site

22  access to implement the provisions of this section.

23         (h)(f)  In order to identify those drycleaning

24  facilities and wholesale supply facilities that have

25  experienced contamination resulting from the discharge of

26  drycleaning solvents and to ensure the most expedient

27  rehabilitation of such sites, the owners and operators of

28  drycleaning facilities and wholesale supply facilities are

29  encouraged to detect and report contamination from drycleaning

30  solvents related to the operation of drycleaning facilities

31  and wholesale supply facilities.  The department shall


                                  9

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  establish reasonable guidelines for the written reporting of

  2  drycleaning contamination and shall distribute forms to

  3  registrants under s. 376.303(1)(d), and to other interested

  4  parties upon request, to be used for such purpose.

  5         (i)(g)  A report of drycleaning solvent contamination

  6  at a drycleaning facility or wholesale supply facility made to

  7  the department by any person in accordance with this

  8  subsection, or any rules promulgated pursuant hereto, may not

  9  be used directly as evidence of liability for such discharge

10  in any civil or criminal trial arising out of the discharge.

11         (j)(h)  The provisions of this subsection shall not

12  apply to drycleaning facilities owned or operated by the state

13  or Federal Government.

14         (k)(i)  Due to the value of Florida's potable water, it

15  is the intent of the Legislature that the department initiate

16  and facilitate as many cleanups as possible utilizing the

17  resources of the state, local governments, and the private

18  sector. The department is authorized to adopt necessary rules

19  and enter into contracts to carry out the intent of this

20  subsection and to limit or prevent future contamination from

21  the operation of drycleaning facilities and wholesale supply

22  facilities.

23         (l)(j)  It is not the intent of the Legislature that

24  the state become the owner or operator of a drycleaning

25  facility or wholesale supply facility by engaging in

26  state-conducted cleanup.

27         (m)(k)  The owner, operator, and either the real

28  property owner or agent of the real property owner may apply

29  for the Drycleaning Contamination Cleanup Program by jointly

30  submitting a completed application package to the department

31  pursuant to the rules that shall be adopted by the department.


                                  10

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  If the application cannot be jointly submitted, then the

  2  applicant shall provide notice of the application to other

  3  interested parties. After reviewing the completed application

  4  package, the department shall notify the applicant in writing

  5  as to whether the drycleaning facility or wholesale supply

  6  facility is eligible for the program. If the department denies

  7  eligibility for a completed application package, the notice of

  8  denial shall specify the reasons for the denial, including

  9  specific and substantive findings of fact, and shall

10  constitute agency action subject to the provisions of chapter

11  120.  For the purposes of ss. 120.569 and 120.57, the real

12  property owner and the owner and operator of a drycleaning

13  facility or wholesale supply facility which is the subject of

14  a decision by the department with regard to eligibility shall

15  be deemed to be parties whose substantial interests are

16  determined by the department's decision to approve or deny

17  eligibility.

18         (n)(l)  Eligibility under this subsection applies to

19  the drycleaning facility or wholesale supply facility and

20  attendant site rehabilitation applies to such facilities and

21  to any place where drycleaning-solvent contamination migrating

22  from the eligible facility is found to be located.  A

23  determination of eligibility or ineligibility shall not be

24  affected by any conveyance of the ownership of the drycleaning

25  facility, wholesale supply facility, or the real property on

26  which such facility is located.  Nothing contained in this

27  chapter shall be construed to allow a drycleaning facility or

28  wholesale supply facility which would not be eligible under

29  this subsection to become eligible as a result of the

30  conveyance of the ownership of the ineligible drycleaning

31  facility or wholesale supply facility to another owner.


                                  11

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1         (o)(m)  If funding for the drycleaning contamination

  2  rehabilitation program is eliminated, the provisions of this

  3  subsection shall not apply.

  4         (p)(n)1.  The department shall have the authority to

  5  cancel the eligibility of any drycleaning facility or

  6  wholesale supply facility that submits fraudulent information

  7  in the application package or that fails to continuously

  8  comply with the conditions of eligibility set forth in this

  9  subsection, or has not remitted all fees pursuant to s.

10  376.303(1)(d), or has not remitted the deductible payments

11  pursuant to paragraph (f)(d).

12         2.  If the program eligibility of a drycleaning

13  facility or wholesale supply facility is subject to

14  cancellation pursuant to this section, then the department

15  shall notify the applicant in writing of its intent to cancel

16  program eligibility and shall state the reason or reasons for

17  cancellation. The applicant shall have 45 days to resolve the

18  reason or reasons for cancellation to the satisfaction of the

19  department.  If, after 45 days, the applicant has not resolved

20  the reason or reasons for cancellation to the satisfaction of

21  the department, the order of cancellation shall become final

22  and shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 120.

23         (q)(o)  A real property owner shall not be subject to

24  administrative or judicial action brought by or on behalf of

25  any person or local or state government, or agency thereof,

26  for gross negligence or violations of department rules prior

27  to January 1, 1990, which resulted from the operation of a

28  drycleaning facility, provided that the real property owner

29  demonstrates that:

30         1.  The real property owner had ownership in the

31  property at the time of the gross negligence or violation of


                                  12

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  department rules and did not cause or contribute to

  2  contamination on the property;

  3         2.  The real property owner was a distinct and separate

  4  entity from the owner and operator of the drycleaning

  5  facility, and did not have an ownership interest in or share

  6  in the profits of the drycleaning facility;

  7         3.  The real property owner did not participate in the

  8  operation or management of the drycleaning facility;

  9         4.  The real property owner complied with all discharge

10  reporting requirements, and did not conceal any contamination;

11  and

12         5.  The department has not been denied access.

13

14  The defense provided by this paragraph does not apply to any

15  liability under a federally delegated program.

16         (r)(p)  A person whose property becomes contaminated

17  due to geophysical or hydrologic reasons from the operation of

18  a nearby drycleaning or wholesale supply facility and whose

19  property has never been occupied by a business that utilized

20  or stored drycleaning solvents or similar constituents is not

21  subject to administrative or judicial action brought by or on

22  behalf of another to compel the rehabilitation of or the

23  payment of the costs for the rehabilitation of sites

24  contaminated by drycleaning solvents, provided that the

25  person:

26         1.  Does not own and has never held an ownership

27  interest in, or shared in the profits of, the drycleaning

28  facility operated at the source location;

29         2.  Did not participate in the operation or management

30  of the drycleaning facility at the source location; and

31


                                  13

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1         3.  Did not cause, contribute to, or exacerbate the

  2  release or threat of release of any hazardous substance

  3  through any act or omission.

  4

  5  The defense provided by this paragraph does not apply to any

  6  liability under a federally delegated program.

  7         (s)(q)  Nothing in this subsection precludes the

  8  department from considering information and documentation

  9  provided by private consultants, local government programs,

10  federal agencies, or any individual which is relevant to an

11  eligibility determination if the department provides the

12  applicant with reasonable access to the information and its

13  origin.

14         (11)  VOLUNTARY CLEANUP.--A real property owner is

15  authorized to conduct site rehabilitation activities at any

16  time pursuant to department rules, either through agents of

17  the real property owner or through responsible response action

18  contractors or subcontractors, whether or not the facility has

19  been determined by the department to be eligible for the

20  drycleaning solvent cleanup program.  A real property owner or

21  any other person who that conducts site rehabilitation may not

22  seek cost recovery from the department or the Water Quality

23  Assurance Trust Fund for any such rehabilitation activities. A

24  real property owner who that voluntarily conducts such site

25  rehabilitation, whether commenced before or on or after

26  October 1, 1995, shall be immune from and have no liability

27  for claims of any person, except for any governmental entity,

28  for property damages of any kind, including, but not limited

29  to, diminished value of real property or improvements, lost or

30  delayed rent, sale or use of real property or improvements, or

31  stigma to real property or improvements caused by


                                  14

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  drycleaning-solvent contamination or be subject to any

  2  administrative or judicial action brought by or on behalf of

  3  liability to any person, state or local government, or agency

  4  thereof to compel or enjoin site rehabilitation or pay for the

  5  cost of rehabilitation of environmental contamination, and or

  6  to pay any fines or penalties regarding rehabilitation, as

  7  soon as the real property owner:

  8         (a)  Conducts contamination assessment and site

  9  rehabilitation consistent with state and federal laws and

10  rules;

11         (b)  Conducts such site rehabilitation in a timely

12  manner according to a rehabilitation schedule approved by the

13  department; and

14         (c)  Does not deny the department access to the site.

15  Upon completion of such site rehabilitation activities in

16  accordance with the requirements of this subsection, the

17  department shall render a site rehabilitation completion

18  order.

19

20  The immunity set forth in this subsection also applies to any

21  nearby real property owner. The real property owner shall

22  provide upon request from any nearby real property owner all

23  reasonably available documentation in the public records in

24  reference to the drycleaning-solvent contamination, including,

25  but not limited to, copies of any soil or groundwater tests

26  and site assessment reports and a copy of the department's

27  approved voluntary cleanup agreement. The department shall

28  assist the real property owner in providing such

29  documentation. This immunity shall continue to apply to any

30  real property owner who transfers, conveys, leases, or sells

31  property on which a drycleaning facility is located so long as


                                  15

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  the voluntary cleanup activities continue. Notwithstanding any

  2  other provision of this chapter, this subsection applies to

  3  causes of action accruing on or after the effective date of

  4  this act and applies retroactively to causes of action

  5  accruing before the effective date of this act, for which a

  6  lawsuit has not been filed.

  7         Section 3.  Subsection (6) of section 376.308, Florida

  8  Statutes, is amended to read:

  9         376.308  Liabilities and defenses of facilities.--

10         (6)  Nothing herein shall be construed to affect

11  cleanup program eligibility under ss. 376.305(6), 376.3071,

12  376.3072, 376.3078, and 376.3079. Except as otherwise

13  expressly provided in this chapter, nothing in this chapter

14  shall affect, void, or defeat any immunity of any real

15  property owner or nearby real property owner under s.

16  376.3078.

17         Section 4.  Subsection (3) and paragraph (a) of

18  subsection (5) of section 376.313, Florida Statutes, are

19  amended to read:

20         376.313  Nonexclusiveness of remedies and individual

21  cause of action for damages under ss. 376.30-376.319.--

22         (3)  Except as provided in s. 376.3078(3) and (11),

23  Notwithstanding any other provision of law nothing contained

24  in ss. 376.30-376.319 prohibits any person from bringing a

25  cause of action in a court of competent jurisdiction for all

26  damages resulting from a discharge or other condition of

27  pollution covered by ss. 376.30-376.319. Nothing in this

28  chapter shall prohibit or diminish a party's right to

29  contribution from other parties jointly or severally liable

30  for a prohibited discharge of pollutants or hazardous

31  substances or other pollution conditions. Except as otherwise


                                  16

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1  provided in subsection (4) or subsection (5), in any such

  2  suit, it is not necessary for such person to plead or prove

  3  negligence in any form or manner. Such person need only plead

  4  and prove the fact of the prohibited discharge or other

  5  pollutive condition and that it has occurred. The only

  6  defenses to such cause of action shall be those specified in

  7  s. 376.308.

  8         (5)(a)  In any civil action against the owner or

  9  operator of a drycleaning facility or a wholesale supply

10  facility, or the owner of the real property on which such

11  facility is located, if such facility is not eligible under s.

12  376.3078(3) and is not involved in voluntary cleanup under s.

13  376.3078(11), for damages arising from the discharge of

14  drycleaning solvents from a drycleaning facility or wholesale

15  supply facility, the provisions of subsection (3) shall not

16  apply if it can be proven that, at the time of the discharge

17  the alleged damages resulted solely from a discharge from a

18  drycleaning facility or wholesale supply facility that was in

19  compliance with department rules regulating drycleaning

20  facilities or wholesale supply facilities.

21         Section 5.  Subsection (3) of section 376.3079, Florida

22  Statutes, is amended to read:

23         376.3079  Third-party liability insurance.--

24         (3)  For purposes of this section and s. 376.3078, the

25  term:

26         (a)  "Third-party liability" means the insured's

27  liability, other than for site rehabilitation costs and

28  property damage, for bodily injury or property damage caused

29  by an incident of contamination related to the operation of a

30  drycleaning facility or wholesale supply facility.

31


                                  17

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1         (b)  "Incident" means any sudden or gradual discharge

  2  of drycleaning solvents arising from the operation of a

  3  drycleaning facility or wholesale supply facility that results

  4  in a need for site rehabilitation or results in bodily injury

  5  or property damage neither expected nor intended by the

  6  drycleaning facility owner or operator or wholesale supply

  7  facility.

  8         Section 6.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section

  9  376.30781, Florida Statutes, is amended:

10         376.30781  Partial tax credits for rehabilitation of

11  drycleaning-solvent-contaminated sites and brownfield sites in

12  designated brownfield areas; application process; rulemaking

13  authority; revocation authority.--

14         (4)  To claim the credit, each applicant must apply to

15  the Department of Environmental Protection for an allocation

16  of the $2 million annual credit by December 31 on a form

17  developed by the Department of Environmental Protection in

18  cooperation with the Department of Revenue. The form shall

19  include an affidavit from each applicant certifying that all

20  information contained in the application, including all

21  records of costs incurred and claimed in the tax credit

22  application, are true and correct. If the application is

23  submitted pursuant to subparagraph (2)(a)2., the form must

24  include an affidavit signed by the real property owner stating

25  that it is not, and has never been, the owner or operator of

26  the drycleaning facility where the contamination exists.

27  Approval of partial tax credits must be accomplished on a

28  first-come, first-served basis based upon the date complete

29  applications are received by the Division of Waste Management.

30  An applicant shall submit only one application per site per

31  year. To be eligible for a tax credit the applicant must:


                                  18

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    CS for SB 2124                                 First Engrossed



  1         (b)  Have paid all deductibles pursuant to s.

  2  376.3078(3)(f) s. 376.3078(3)(d) for eligible

  3  drycleaning-solvent-cleanup program sites.

  4         Section 7.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

  5  law.

  6

  7

  8

  9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31


                                  19

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.