HB 297

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to the Florida Incentive-based Permitting
3Act; creating s. 403.0874, F.S.; providing a short title;
4providing legislative findings; providing purposes;
5providing definitions; providing for an Incentive-based
6Permitting Program; providing compliance incentives for
7certain environmental permitting activities; providing
8requirements and limitations; providing for administration
9by the Department of Environmental Protection; requiring
10the department to adopt certain rules; amending ss.
11161.041 and 373.413, F.S.; specifying application of
12Incentive-based Permitting Program provisions; amending s.
13403.087, F.S.; revising criteria for department permit
14issuance to conform; specifying application of Incentive-
15based Permitting Program provisions to certain permits;
16providing an effective date.
17
18Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20     Section 1.  Section 403.0874, Florida Statutes, is created
21to read:
22     403.0874  Incentive-based Permitting Program.--
23     (1)  SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the
24"Florida Incentive-based Permitting Act."
25     (2)  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; PUBLIC PURPOSE.--
26     (a)  The Legislature finds and declares that a permit
27applicant's history of compliance with applicable permit
28conditions and requirements and the environmental laws of this
29state is a factor that should be considered by the agency when
30the agency is considering whether to issue a new permit or
31reissue a permit to an applicant, based upon compliance
32incentives under this section.
33     (b)  Permit applicants with a history of compliance with
34applicable permit conditions and requirements and the
35environmental laws of this state should be eligible for new
36permits at a new site, longer duration permits, expedited permit
37reviews, short-form permit renewals, and other incentives to
38reward and encourage such applicants.
39     (c)  The agency is encouraged to work with permittees and
40permit applicants to encourage compliance and avoid burdensome
41and expensive consequences of noncompliance.
42     (d)  It is therefore declared to be the purpose of this
43section to provide the agency with clear and specific authority
44to consider the compliance history of a permit applicant who has
45applied for an incentive-based permit.
46     (3)  DEFINITIONS.--For purposes of this section:
47     (a)  "Agency" means the Department of Environmental
48Protection.
49     (b)  "Applicant" means the proposed permittee or
50transferee, owner, or operator of a regulated activity seeking
51an agency permit. However, the term "applicant" does not include
52a subsidiary of or an affiliate of an entity with a history of
53noncompliance for any regulated activity.
54     (c)  "Environmental laws" means any state or federal law
55that regulates activities for the purpose of protecting the
56environment, or for the purpose of protecting the public health
57from pollution or contaminants, but does not include any law
58that regulates activities for the purpose of zoning, growth
59management, or land use. The term includes, but is not limited
60to, chapter 161, part IV of chapter 373, and chapter 403.
61     (d)  "Regulated activity" means any activity, including,
62but not limited to, the construction or operation of a facility,
63installation, system, or project, for which a permit or
64certification is required by law.
65     (e)  "Site" means a single parcel, or multiple contiguous
66or adjacent parcels, of land on which the applicant proposes to
67conduct, or has conducted, a regulated activity.
68     (4)  COMPLIANCE INCENTIVES.--In order to obtain compliance
69incentives, the applicant must affirmatively request such
70incentives as part of the permit application. Unless otherwise
71prohibited by state or federal law, agency rule, or federal
72regulation, and provided the applicant meets all other
73applicable criteria for the issuance of a permit, any applicant
74who meets the criteria set forth in this subsection is entitled
75to the following incentives:
76     (a)  Level 1 incentives criteria; application for a new
77permit; rulemaking.--
78     1.  An applicant shall be entitled to incentives if the
79activity is a new regulated activity and the applicant conducted
80a similar regulated activity under an agency permit for at least
814 of the 5 years at a different site in this state preceding
82submittal of the permit application. However, an applicant shall
83not be entitled to incentives under this paragraph if the
84applicant has a relevant compliance history for a similar
85regulated activity that includes any violation that resulted in
86enforcement action. If the applicant has alleged violations at a
87different site that may result in enforcement action and the
88alleged violations may result in the potential for harm to human
89health or the environment, the applicant shall not be entitled
90to incentives under this paragraph. However, when pending
91alleged violations that eliminate an applicant from receiving
92incentives under this paragraph are disposed of and the
93applicant was found not to have committed the alleged violation,
94incentives shall be available to the applicant. Alleged minor
95violations shall not be considered under this paragraph.
96     2.  Level 1 incentives shall include:
97     a.  Expedited permit review.--The processing time following
98receipt of a completed application shall be 75 days for the
99issuance of the agency action.
100     b.  Extended permits.--Permits may be extended for 7 years,
101provided the applicant has conducted a similar regulated
102activity at a site for 4 of the last 5 years.
103     3.  Within 6 months after the effective date of this
104section, the agency shall initiate rulemaking to implement Level
1051 incentives. The rule shall specify what incentives will be
106made available, how applicants may qualify for incentives, and
107how extended permits may be transferred. Until an implementing
108rule is adopted, Level 1 incentives shall not be available to
109permit applicants under this section.
110     (b)  Level 2 incentives criteria; application for permit
111renewal; rulemaking.--
112     1.  An applicant for a renewal of a permit shall be
113entitled to incentives pursuant to this paragraph if the
114applicant conducted a regulated activity at the site in this
115state for at least 4 of the last 5 years preceding submittal of
116an application for renewal. An applicant shall not be entitled
117to incentives under this paragraph if the applicant has a
118relevant compliance history at the site that includes any
119violation that resulted in enforcement action. If the applicant
120has alleged violations at the site that may result in
121enforcement action and the alleged violations may result in the
122potential for harm to human health or the environment, the
123applicant shall not be entitled to incentives under this
124paragraph. However, when pending alleged violations that
125eliminate an applicant from receiving incentives under this
126paragraph are disposed of and the applicant was found not to
127have committed the alleged violation, incentives shall be
128available to the applicant. Alleged minor violations shall not
129be considered under this paragraph. In addition, an applicant
130for the renewal of a permit shall be entitled to incentives
131pursuant to this paragraph if the applicant takes any other
132actions not otherwise required by law that at the site result
133in:
134     a.  Beneficial reductions in actual or permitted discharges
135or emissions;
136     b.  Beneficial reductions in the impacts of regulated
137activities on public lands or natural resources;
138     c.  Beneficial waste reduction or the reuse of waste
139generated at the site;
140     d.  Implementation of a voluntary environmental management
141system; or
142     e.  Other similar actions as determined by agency rule.
143     2.  Level 2 incentives shall include:
144     a.  Ten-year permits, provided the applicant has conducted
145a regulated activity at the site for at least 5 years.
146     b.  Fewer routine inspections than other regulated
147activities similarly situated.
148     c.  Short form renewals of permits not involving
149substantial modifications which may be made upon a shortened
150application form specifying only the changes in the regulated
151activity or a certification by the applicant that no changes in
152the regulated activity are proposed if that is the case.
153Applicants for short form renewals shall complete and submit the
154prescribed compliance form with the application and shall remain
155subject to the compliance history review of this section. All
156other procedure requirements for renewal applications apply.
157This provision shall supplement any expedited review process
158provided by agency rules.
159     d.  Expedited review of requests for permit modifications.
160     e.  Agency recognition, program-specific incentives, or
161certifications in lieu of renewal permits.
162     f.  No more than two requests for additional information.
163     3.  Within 6 months after the effective date of this
164section, the agency shall initiate rulemaking to implement Level
1652 incentives. The rule shall specify what incentives will be
166made available, how applicants may qualify for incentives, and
167how extended permits may be transferred. Until an implementing
168rule is adopted, Level 2 incentives shall not be available to
169permit applicants under this section.
170     Section 2.  Subsection (5) is added to section 161.041,
171Florida Statutes, to read:
172     161.041  Permits required.--
173     (5)  The Incentive-based Permitting Program provisions of
174s. 403.0874 shall apply to all permits issued under this
175chapter.
176     Section 3.  Subsection (6) is added to section 373.413,
177Florida Statutes, to read:
178     373.413  Permits for construction or alteration.--
179     (6)  The Incentive-based Permitting Program provisions of
180s. 403.0874 shall apply to permits issued under this section.
181     Section 4.  Subsection (7) of section 403.087, Florida
182Statutes, is amended, and subsection (10) is added to that
183section, to read:
184     403.087  Permits; general issuance; denial; revocation;
185prohibition; penalty.--
186     (7)  A permit issued pursuant to this section shall not
187become a vested right in the permittee. The department may
188revoke any permit issued by it if it finds that the
189permitholder:
190     (a)  Has submitted material false or inaccurate information
191in the his or her application for such permit;
192     (b)  Has violated law, department orders, rules, or
193regulations, or permit conditions directly related to such
194permit;
195     (c)  Has failed to submit operational reports or other
196information required by department rule or regulation directly
197related to such permit; or
198     (d)  Has refused lawful inspection under s. 403.091 at the
199facility authorized by such permit.
200     (10)  The Incentive-based Permitting Program provisions of
201s. 403.0874 shall apply to permits issued under this chapter.
202     Section 5.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.


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