CS/CS/CS/HB 617

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to mining and extraction activities;
3amending s. 373.414, F.S.; providing that financial
4responsibility for mitigation for wetlands and other
5surface waters required by a permit for activities
6associated with the extraction of limestone are subject to
7approval by the Department of Environmental Protection as
8part of permit application review; amending s. 378.901,
9F.S.; authorizing mine operators mining or extracting or
10proposing to mine or extract heavy minerals, limestone, or
11fuller's earth clay to apply for a life-of-the-mine
12permit; clarifying the authority of local governments to
13approve, approve with conditions, deny, or impose certain
14permit durations; providing an effective date.
15
16Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18     Section 1.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (19) of section
19373.414, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
20     373.414  Additional criteria for activities in surface
21waters and wetlands.-
22     (19)(a)  Financial responsibility for mitigation for
23wetlands and other surface waters required by a permit issued
24pursuant to this part for activities associated with the
25extraction of limestone and phosphate are subject to approval by
26the department as part of permit application review. Financial
27responsibility for permitted activities which will occur over a
28period of 3 years or less of mining operations must be provided
29to the department prior to the commencement of mining operations
30and shall be in an amount equal to 110 percent of the estimated
31mitigation costs for wetlands and other surface waters affected
32under the permit. For permitted activities which will occur over
33a period of more than 3 years of mining operations, the initial
34financial responsibility demonstration shall be in an amount
35equal to 110 percent of the estimated mitigation costs for
36wetlands and other surface waters affected in the first 3 years
37of operation under the permit; and, for each year thereafter,
38the financial responsibility demonstration shall be updated,
39including to provide an amount equal to 110 percent of the
40estimated mitigation costs for the next year of operations under
41the permit for which financial responsibility has not already
42been demonstrated and to release portions of the financial
43responsibility mechanisms in accordance with applicable rules.
44     Section 2.  Subsection (2) of section 378.901, Florida
45Statutes, is amended to read:
46     378.901  Life-of-the-mine permit.-
47     (2)  As an alternative to, and in lieu of, separate
48applications for permits required by part IV of chapter 373 and
49part IV of this chapter, any each operator who mines or extracts
50or proposes to mine or extract heavy minerals, limestone, or
51fuller's earth clay may apply to the bureau for a life-of-the-
52mine permit. Nothing in this subsection limits or restricts the
53authority of a local government to approve, approve with
54conditions, deny, or impose a permit duration different from the
55duration of a permit issued pursuant to this section.
56     Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.


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