Senate Bill sb1518c1

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 1518

    By the Committee on Natural Resources; and Senator Lawson





    312-2630-04

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the environment; amending s.

  3         403.061, F.S.; authorizing the Department of

  4         Environmental Protection to cooperate with the

  5         Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

  6         in the implementation of best management

  7         practices; creating s. 403.0613, F.S.;

  8         authorizing the Department of Environmental

  9         Protection to enter into voluntary agreements

10         with certain entities to address water resource

11         issues throughout a watershed or basin;

12         providing that such agreements constitute

13         orders of the department and are subject to ch.

14         120, F.S.; providing that such agreements shall

15         not interfere with the department's obligations

16         under any delegated or approved federal

17         program; requiring the department to post

18         certain information on its Internet site;

19         providing that certain agreements entered into

20         prior to the effective date of the act are

21         ratified; providing an effective date.

22  

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

24  

25         Section 1.  Section 403.061, Florida Statutes, is

26  amended to read:

27         403.061  Department; powers and duties.--The department

28  shall have the power and the duty to control and prohibit

29  pollution of air and water in accordance with the law and

30  rules adopted and promulgated by it and, for this purpose, it

31  is authorized to:

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 1518
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 1         (1)  Approve and promulgate current and long-range

 2  plans developed to provide for air and water quality control

 3  and pollution abatement.

 4         (2)  Hire only such employees as may be necessary to

 5  effectuate the responsibilities of the department.

 6         (3)  Utilize the facilities and personnel of other

 7  state agencies, including the Department of Health, and

 8  delegate to any such agency any duties and functions as the

 9  department may deem necessary to carry out the purposes of

10  this act.

11         (4)  Cooperate with the Department of Agriculture and

12  Consumer Services in the implementation of best management

13  practices consistent with ss. 373.4595, 403.067, 576.045, and

14  597.004.

15         (5)(4)  Secure necessary scientific, technical,

16  research, administrative, and operational services by

17  interagency agreement, by contract, or otherwise.  All state

18  agencies, upon direction of the department, shall make these

19  services and facilities available.

20         (6)(5)  Accept state appropriations and loans and

21  grants from the Federal Government and from other sources,

22  public or private, which loans and grants shall not be

23  expended for other than the purposes of this act.

24         (7)(6)  Exercise general supervision of the

25  administration and enforcement of the laws, rules, and

26  regulations pertaining to air and water pollution.

27         (8)(7)  Adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and

28  120.54 to implement the provisions of this act. Any rule

29  adopted pursuant to this act shall be consistent with the

30  provisions of federal law, if any, relating to control of

31  emissions from motor vehicles, effluent limitations,

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 1518
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 1  pretreatment requirements, or standards of performance. No

 2  county, municipality, or political subdivision shall adopt or

 3  enforce any local ordinance, special law, or local regulation

 4  requiring the installation of Stage II vapor recovery systems,

 5  as currently defined by department rule, unless such county,

 6  municipality, or political subdivision is or has been in the

 7  past designated by federal regulation as a moderate, serious,

 8  or severe ozone nonattainment area. Rules adopted pursuant to

 9  this act shall not require dischargers of waste into waters of

10  the state to improve natural background conditions. Discharges

11  from steam electric generating plants existing or licensed

12  under this chapter on July 1, 1984, shall not be required to

13  be treated to a greater extent than may be necessary to assure

14  that the quality of nonthermal components of discharges from

15  nonrecirculated cooling water systems is as high as the

16  quality of the makeup waters; that the quality of nonthermal

17  components of discharges from recirculated cooling water

18  systems is no lower than is allowed for blowdown from such

19  systems; or that the quality of noncooling system discharges

20  which receive makeup water from a receiving body of water

21  which does not meet applicable department water quality

22  standards is as high as the quality of the receiving body of

23  water. The department may not adopt standards more stringent

24  than federal regulations, except as provided in s. 403.804.

25         (9)(8)  Issue such orders as are necessary to

26  effectuate the control of air and water pollution and enforce

27  the same by all appropriate administrative and judicial

28  proceedings.

29         (10)(9)  Adopt a comprehensive program for the

30  prevention, control, and abatement of pollution of the air and

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 1518
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 1  waters of the state, and from time to time review and modify

 2  such program as necessary.

 3         (11)(10)  Develop a comprehensive program for the

 4  prevention, abatement, and control of the pollution of the

 5  waters of the state.  In order to effect this purpose, a

 6  grouping of the waters into classes may be made in accordance

 7  with the present and future most beneficial uses.  Such

 8  classifications may from time to time be altered or modified.

 9  However, before any such classification is made, or any

10  modification made thereto, public hearings shall be held by

11  the department.

12         (12)(11)  Establish ambient air quality and water

13  quality standards for the state as a whole or for any part

14  thereof, and also standards for the abatement of excessive and

15  unnecessary noise.  The department is authorized to establish

16  reasonable zones of mixing for discharges into waters.

17         (a)  When a receiving body of water fails to meet a

18  water quality standard for pollutants set forth in department

19  rules, a steam electric generating plant discharge of

20  pollutants that is existing or licensed under this chapter on

21  July 1, 1984, may nevertheless be granted a mixing zone,

22  provided that:

23         1.  The standard would not be met in the water body in

24  the absence of the discharge;

25         2.  The discharge is in compliance with all applicable

26  technology-based effluent limitations;

27         3.  The discharge does not cause a measurable increase

28  in the degree of noncompliance with the standard at the

29  boundary of the mixing zone; and

30         4.  The discharge otherwise complies with the mixing

31  zone provisions specified in department rules.

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 1518
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 1         (b)  No mixing zone for point source discharges shall

 2  be permitted in Outstanding Florida Waters except for:

 3         1.  Sources that have received permits from the

 4  department prior to April 1, 1982, or the date of designation,

 5  whichever is later;

 6         2.  Blowdown from new power plants certified pursuant

 7  to the Florida Electrical Power Plant Siting Act;

 8         3.  Discharges of water necessary for water management

 9  purposes which have been approved by the governing board of a

10  water management district and, if required by law, by the

11  secretary; and

12         4.  The discharge of demineralization concentrate which

13  has been determined permittable under s. 403.0882 and which

14  meets the specific provisions of s. 403.0882(4)(a) and (b), if

15  the proposed discharge is clearly in the public interest.

16         (c)  The department, by rule, shall establish water

17  quality criteria for wetlands which criteria give appropriate

18  recognition to the water quality of such wetlands in their

19  natural state.

20  

21  Nothing in this act shall be construed to invalidate any

22  existing department rule relating to mixing zones.  The

23  department shall cooperate with the Department of Highway

24  Safety and Motor Vehicles in the development of regulations

25  required by s. 316.272(1).

26         (13)(12)(a)  Cause field studies to be made and samples

27  to be taken out of the air and from the waters of the state

28  periodically and in a logical geographic manner so as to

29  determine the levels of air quality of the air and water

30  quality of the waters of the state.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 1518
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 1         (b)  Determine the source of the pollution whenever a

 2  study is made or a sample collected which proves to be below

 3  the air or water quality standard set for air or water.

 4         (14)(13)  Require persons engaged in operations which

 5  may result in pollution to file reports which may contain

 6  information relating to locations, size of outlet, height of

 7  outlet, rate and period of emission, and composition and

 8  concentration of effluent and such other information as the

 9  department shall prescribe to be filed relative to pollution.

10         (15)(14)  Establish a permit system whereby a permit

11  may be required for the operation, construction, or expansion

12  of any installation that may be a source of air or water

13  pollution and provide for the issuance and revocation of such

14  permits and for the posting of an appropriate bond to operate.

15         (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this

16  chapter, the department may authorize, by rule, the Department

17  of Transportation to perform any activity requiring a permit

18  from the department covered by this chapter, upon

19  certification by the Department of Transportation that it will

20  meet all requirements imposed by statute, rule, or standard

21  for environmental control and protection as such statute,

22  rule, or standard applies to a governmental program. To this

23  end, the department may accept such certification of

24  compliance for programs of the Department of Transportation,

25  may conduct investigations for compliance, and, if a violation

26  is found to exist, may take all necessary enforcement action

27  pertaining thereto, including, but not limited to, the

28  revocation of certification. The authorization shall be by

29  rule of the department, shall be limited to the maintenance,

30  repair, or replacement of existing structures, and shall be

31  conditioned upon compliance by the Department of

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 1518
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 1  Transportation with specific guidelines or requirements which

 2  are set forth in the formal acceptance and deemed necessary by

 3  the department to assure future compliance with this chapter

 4  and applicable department rules. The failure of the Department

 5  of Transportation to comply with any provision of the written

 6  acceptance shall constitute grounds for its revocation by the

 7  department.

 8         (b)  The provisions of chapter 120 shall be accorded

 9  any person when substantial interests will be affected by an

10  activity proposed to be conducted by the Department of

11  Transportation pursuant to its certification and the

12  acceptance of the department. If a proceeding is conducted

13  pursuant to ss. 120.569 and 120.57, the department may

14  intervene as a party. Should an administrative law judge of

15  the Division of Administrative Hearings of the Department of

16  Management Services submit a recommended order pursuant to ss.

17  120.569 and 120.57, the department shall issue a final

18  department order adopting, rejecting, or modifying the

19  recommended order pursuant to such action.

20         (16)(15)  Consult with any person proposing to

21  construct, install, or otherwise acquire a pollution control

22  device or system concerning the efficacy of such device or

23  system, or the pollution problem which may be related to the

24  source, device, or system. Nothing in any such consultation

25  shall be construed to relieve any person from compliance with

26  this act, rules and regulations of the department, or any

27  other provision of law.

28         (17)(16)  Encourage voluntary cooperation by persons

29  and affected groups to achieve the purposes of this act.

30         (18)(17)  Encourage local units of government to handle

31  pollution problems within their respective jurisdictions on a

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 1  cooperative basis and provide technical and consultative

 2  assistance therefor.

 3         (19)(18)  Encourage and conduct studies,

 4  investigations, and research relating to pollution and its

 5  causes, effects, prevention, abatement, and control.

 6         (20)(19)  Make a continuing study of the effects of the

 7  emission of air contaminants from motor vehicles on the

 8  quality of the outdoor atmosphere of this state and the

 9  several parts thereof and make recommendations to appropriate

10  public and private bodies with respect thereto.

11         (21)(20)  Collect and disseminate information and

12  conduct educational and training programs relating to

13  pollution.

14         (22)(21)  Advise, consult, cooperate, and enter into

15  agreements with other agencies of the state, the Federal

16  Government, other states, interstate agencies, groups,

17  political subdivisions, and industries affected by the

18  provisions of this act, rules, or policies of the department.

19  However, the secretary of the department shall not enter into

20  any interstate agreement relating to the transport of ozone

21  precursor pollutants, nor modify its rules based upon a

22  recommendation from the Ozone Transport Assessment Group or

23  any other such organization that is not an official

24  subdivision of the United States Environmental Protection

25  Agency but which studies issues related to the transport of

26  ozone precursor pollutants, without prior review and specific

27  legislative approval.

28         (23)(22)  Adopt, modify, and repeal rules governing the

29  specifications, construction, and maintenance of industrial

30  reservoirs, dams, and containers which store or retain

31  industrial wastes of a deleterious nature.

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 1518
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 1         (24)(23)  Adopt rules and regulations to ensure that no

 2  detergents are sold in Florida after December 31, 1972, which

 3  are reasonably found to have a harmful or deleterious effect

 4  on human health or on the environment. Any regulations adopted

 5  pursuant to this subsection shall apply statewide. Subsequent

 6  to the promulgation of such rules and regulations, no county,

 7  municipality, or other local political subdivision shall adopt

 8  or enforce any local ordinance, special law, or local

 9  regulation governing detergents which is less stringent than

10  state law or regulation.  Regulations, ordinances, or special

11  acts adopted by a county or municipality governing detergents

12  shall be subject to approval by the department, except that

13  regulations, ordinances, or special acts adopted by any county

14  or municipality with a local pollution control program

15  approved pursuant to s. 403.182 shall be approved as an

16  element of the local pollution control program.

17         (25)(24)(a)  Establish a permit system to provide for

18  spoil site approval, as may be requested and required by local

19  governmental agencies as defined in s. 403.1822(3), or

20  mosquito control districts as defined in s. 388.011(5), to

21  facilitate these agencies in providing spoil sites for the

22  deposit of spoil from maintenance dredging of navigation

23  channels, port harbors, turning basins, and harbor berths, as

24  part of a federal project, when the agency is acting as

25  sponsor of a contemplated dredge and fill operation involving

26  an established navigation channel, harbor, turning basin, or

27  harbor berth.  A spoil site approval granted to the agency

28  shall be granted for a period of 10 to 25 years when such site

29  is not inconsistent with an adopted local governmental

30  comprehensive plan and the requirements of this chapter. The

31  department shall periodically review each permit to determine

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 1518
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 1  compliance with the terms and conditions of the permit. Such

 2  review shall be conducted at least once every 10 years.

 3         (b)  This subsection applies only to those maintenance

 4  dredging operations permitted after July 1, 1980, where the

 5  United States Army Corps of Engineers is the prime dredge and

 6  fill agent and the local governmental agency is acting as

 7  sponsor for the operation, and does not require the

 8  redesignation of currently approved spoil sites under such

 9  previous operations.

10         (26)(25)  Establish and administer a program for the

11  restoration and preservation of bodies of water within the

12  state. The department shall have the power to acquire lands,

13  to cooperate with other applicable state or local agencies to

14  enhance existing public access to such bodies of water, and to

15  adopt all rules necessary to accomplish this purpose.

16         (27)(26)(a)  Develop standards and criteria for waters

17  used for deepwater shipping which standards and criteria

18  consider existing water quality; appropriate mixing zones and

19  other requirements for maintenance dredging in previously

20  constructed deepwater navigation channels, port harbors,

21  turning basins, or harbor berths; and appropriate mixing zones

22  for disposal of spoil material from dredging and, where

23  necessary, develop a separate classification for such waters.

24  Such classification, standards, and criteria shall recognize

25  that the present dedicated use of these waters is for

26  deepwater commercial navigation.

27         (b)  The provisions of paragraph (a) apply only to the

28  port waters, spoil disposal sites, port harbors, navigation

29  channels, turning basins, and harbor berths used for deepwater

30  commercial navigation in the ports of Jacksonville, Tampa,

31  Port Everglades, Miami, Port Canaveral, Ft. Pierce, Palm

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 1  Beach, Port Manatee, Port St. Joe, Panama City, St.

 2  Petersburg, Port Bartow, Florida Power Corporation's Crystal

 3  River Canal, Boca Grande, Green Cove Springs, and Pensacola.

 4         (28)(27)  Establish rules which provide for a special

 5  category of water bodies within the state, to be referred to

 6  as "Outstanding Florida Waters," which water bodies shall be

 7  worthy of special protection because of their natural

 8  attributes. Nothing in this subsection shall affect any

 9  existing rule of the department.

10         (29)(28)  Perform any other act necessary to control

11  and prohibit air and water pollution, and to delegate any of

12  its responsibilities, authority, and powers, other than

13  rulemaking powers, to any state agency now or hereinafter

14  established.

15         (30)(29)  Adopt by rule special criteria to protect

16  Class II shellfish harvesting waters.  Rules previously

17  adopted by the department in rule 17-4.28(8)(a), Florida

18  Administrative Code, are hereby ratified and determined to be

19  a valid exercise of delegated legislative authority and shall

20  remain in effect unless amended by the Environmental

21  Regulation Commission.

22         (31)(30)  Establish requirements by rule that

23  reasonably protect the public health and welfare from electric

24  and magnetic fields associated with existing 230 kV or greater

25  electrical transmission lines, new 230 kV and greater

26  electrical transmission lines for which an application for

27  certification under the Transmission Line Siting Act, ss.

28  403.52-403.5365, is not filed, new or existing electrical

29  transmission or distribution lines with voltage less than 230

30  kV, and substation facilities. Notwithstanding any other

31  provision in this chapter or any other law of this state or

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 1  political subdivision thereof, the department shall have

 2  exclusive jurisdiction in the regulation of electric and

 3  magnetic fields associated with all electrical transmission

 4  and distribution lines and substation facilities.  However,

 5  nothing herein shall be construed as superseding or repealing

 6  the provisions of s. 403.523(1) and (10).

 7         (32)(31)  Adopt rules necessary to obtain approval from

 8  the United States Environmental Protection Agency to

 9  administer the Federal National Pollution Discharge

10  Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program in Florida under

11  ss. 318, 402, and 405 of the Federal Clean Water Act, Pub. L.

12  No. 92-500, as amended.  This authority shall be implemented

13  consistent with the provisions of part II, which shall be

14  applicable to facilities certified thereunder.  The department

15  shall establish all rules, standards, and requirements that

16  regulate the discharge of pollutants into waters of the United

17  States as defined by and in a manner consistent with federal

18  regulations; provided, however, that the department may adopt

19  a standard that is stricter or more stringent than one set by

20  the United States Environmental Protection Agency if approved

21  by the Governor and Cabinet in accordance with the procedures

22  of s. 403.804(2).

23         (33)(32)  Coordinate the state's stormwater program.

24         (34)(33)  Establish and administer programs providing

25  appropriate incentives that have the following goals, in order

26  of importance:

27         (a)  Preventing and reducing pollution at its source.

28         (b)  Recycling contaminants that have the potential to

29  pollute.

30         (c)  Treating and neutralizing contaminants that are

31  difficult to recycle.

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 1         (d)  Disposing of contaminants only after other options

 2  have been used to the greatest extent practicable.

 3         (35)(34)  Adopt rules which may include stricter

 4  permitting and enforcement provisions within Outstanding

 5  Florida Waters, aquatic preserves, areas of critical state

 6  concern, and areas subject to chapter 380 resource management

 7  plans adopted by rule by the Administration Commission, when

 8  the plans for an area include waters that are particularly

 9  identified as needing additional protection, which provisions

10  are not inconsistent with the applicable rules adopted for the

11  management of such areas by the department and the Governor

12  and Cabinet.

13         (36)(35)  Exercise the duties, powers, and

14  responsibilities required of the state under the federal Clean

15  Air Act, 42 U.S.C. ss. 7401 et seq. The department shall

16  implement the programs required under that act in conjunction

17  with its other powers and duties. Nothing in this subsection

18  shall be construed to repeal or supersede any of the

19  department's existing rules.

20         (37)(36)  Establish statewide standards for persons

21  engaged in determining visible air emissions and to require

22  these persons to obtain training to meet such standards.

23         (38)(37)  Enter into a memorandum of agreement with the

24  Florida Ports Council which provides a supplemental permitting

25  process for the issuance of a joint coastal permit pursuant to

26  s. 161.055 or environmental resource permit pursuant to part

27  IV of chapter 373, to a port listed in s. 311.09(1), for

28  maintenance dredging and the management of dredged materials

29  from maintenance dredging of all navigation channels, port

30  harbors, turning basins, and harbor berths.  Such permit shall

31  be issued for a period of 5 years and shall be annually

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 1  extended for an additional year if the port is in compliance

 2  with all permit conditions at the time of extension. The

 3  department is authorized to adopt rules to implement this

 4  subsection.

 5         (39)(38)  Enter into a memorandum of agreement with the

 6  Florida Ports Council which provides a supplemental permitting

 7  process for the issuance of a conceptual joint coastal permit

 8  pursuant to s. 161.055 or environmental resource permit

 9  pursuant to part IV of chapter 373, to a port listed in s.

10  311.09(1), for dredging and the management of materials from

11  dredging and for other related activities necessary for

12  development, including the expansion of navigation channels,

13  port harbors, turning basins, harbor berths, and associated

14  facilities.  Such permit shall be issued for a period of up to

15  15 years. The department is authorized to adopt rules to

16  implement this subsection.

17         (40)(39)  Enter into a memorandum of agreement with the

18  Florida Inland Navigation District and the West Coast Inland

19  Navigation District, or their successor agencies, to provide a

20  supplemental process for issuance of joint coastal permits

21  pursuant to s. 161.055 or environmental resource permits

22  pursuant to part IV of chapter 373 for regional waterway

23  management activities, including, but not limited to,

24  maintenance dredging, spoil disposal, public recreation, inlet

25  management, beach nourishment, and environmental protection

26  directly related to public navigation and the construction,

27  maintenance, and operation of Florida's inland waterways. The

28  department is authorized to adopt rules to implement this

29  subsection.

30         (41)(40)  Serve as the state's single point of contact

31  for performing the responsibilities described in Presidential

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 1  Executive Order 12372, including administration and operation

 2  of the Florida State Clearinghouse. The Florida State

 3  Clearinghouse shall be responsible for coordinating

 4  interagency reviews of the following: federal activities and

 5  actions subject to the federal consistency requirements of s.

 6  307 of the Coastal Zone Management Act; documents prepared

 7  pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C.

 8  ss. 4321 et seq., and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act,

 9  43 U.S.C. ss. 1331 et seq.; applications for federal funding

10  pursuant to s. 216.212; and other notices and information

11  regarding federal activities in the state, as appropriate. The

12  Florida State Clearinghouse shall ensure that state agency

13  comments and recommendations on the environmental, social, and

14  economic impact of proposed federal actions are communicated

15  to federal agencies, applicants, local governments, and

16  interested parties.

17  

18  The department shall implement such programs in conjunction

19  with its other powers and duties and shall place special

20  emphasis on reducing and eliminating contamination that

21  presents a threat to humans, animals or plants, or to the

22  environment.

23         Section 2.  Section 403.0613, Florida Statutes, is

24  created to read:

25         403.0613  Voluntary alternatives to meet water quality

26  standards.--

27         (1)  The department is authorized to enter into

28  voluntary agreements with industry, business associations,

29  other government agencies, and interested parties to address

30  water resource issues throughout a watershed or basin. Any

31  agreement entered into pursuant to this section constitutes an

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 1  order of the department and is subject to chapter 120.

 2  Implementation of such agreements shall not interfere with the

 3  department's obligations under any delegated or approved

 4  federal program but may be used in conjunction with any of

 5  these federal programs.

 6         (2)  The department shall post any agreement under this

 7  section on its Internet site, and shall make any public record

 8  generated under such agreement, including water quality

 9  monitoring data, available to the public upon request.

10         (3)  Any agreements entered into prior to the effective

11  date of this act, including, but not limited to, the Suwannee

12  River Basin Partnership Agreement of January 1999 and any

13  subsequent dairy administrative agreements are hereby

14  authorized by ss. 403.061 and 403.0611, and are hereby

15  ratified.

16         Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

17  law.

18  

19          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
20                         Senate Bill 1518

21                                 

22  The committee substitute authorizes the Department of
    Environmental Protection (DEP) to cooperate with the
23  Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in the
    implementation of best management practices consistent with
24  ss. 373.4595, 403.067, 576.045, and 597.004, F.S. The DEP is
    authorized to enter into voluntary agreements with industry,
25  business associations, other government agencies, and
    interested parties to address water resource issues throughout
26  a watershed or basin. Any agreement entered into pursuant to
    s. 403.0613, F.S., constitutes an order of the department and
27  is subject to ch. 120, F.S. Implementation of such agreements
    shall not interfere with the department's obligations under
28  any delegated or approved federal program but may be used in
    conjunction with any of these federal programs. Any agreements
29  entered into prior to the effective date of this act,
    including but not limited to, the Suwannee River Partnership
30  Agreement of January 1999 and any subsequent dairy
    Administrative Agreements are authorized by s. 403.061, F.S.,
31  and s. 403.0611, F.S., and are ratified.

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