Florida Senate - 2022 SB 7012
By the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
592-01303-22 20227012__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to a Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl
3 Substances Task Force; creating the task force within
4 the Department of Environmental Protection; providing
5 the membership, organization, and duties of the task
6 force; requiring the department to provide staffing to
7 assist the task force in the performance of its
8 duties; requiring the task force to convene by a
9 specified date; requiring the task force to submit an
10 annual report to the Governor and the Legislature by a
11 specified date; providing requirements for the report;
12 providing for the repeal of the task force; providing
13 an effective date.
14
15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17 Section 1. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Task
18 Force.—
19 (1) The PFAS Task Force is created within the Department of
20 Environmental Protection. The task force is composed of the
21 following 16 members:
22 (a) One representative from each of the following state
23 entities:
24 1. The Department of Environmental Protection, appointed by
25 the secretary of the department.
26 2. The Department of Health, appointed by the State Surgeon
27 General.
28 3. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services,
29 appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture.
30 4. The Division of Emergency Management, appointed by the
31 division director.
32 5. The Bureau of Fire Standards and Training within the
33 Department of Financial Services, appointed by the Chief
34 Financial Officer.
35 (b) One representative of each of the following
36 organizations, appointed by the Governor:
37 1. The Florida League of Cities.
38 2. The Florida Association of Counties.
39 3. The Florida Water Environment Association.
40 4. The Florida Section of the American Water Works
41 Association.
42 5. The Florida Airports Council.
43 6. The National Waste and Recycling Association.
44 7. The Florida Brownfields Association.
45 8. The Florida Ground Water Association.
46 9. The Florida Sunshine Chapter of the Solid Waste
47 Association of North America.
48 10. The Manufacturers Association of Florida.
49 11. The Florida Professional Firefighters.
50 (2) The task force shall elect a chair from among its
51 membership. Except as otherwise provided, the task force shall
52 operate in a manner consistent with s. 20.052, Florida Statutes.
53 (3) The task force shall meet as necessary, but at least
54 quarterly, and may conduct its meetings through teleconferencing
55 or other similar means.
56 (4) Members of the task force are entitled to receive
57 reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses, pursuant to s.
58 112.061, Florida Statutes, for service on the task force.
59 (5) The task force shall develop recommendations for all of
60 the following:
61 (a) Enforceable regulatory standards for PFAS in drinking
62 water, groundwater, and soil.
63 (b) A mechanism for the identification and cleanup of
64 contaminated areas.
65 (c) Methods to address liability for contamination and
66 financial responsibility for cleanup.
67 (d) Appropriate methods and technologies, considering cost,
68 for cleanup and treatment of PFAS contamination.
69 (e) Funding sources and mechanisms for prioritizing the
70 distribution of funds for cleanup and remediation of PFAS
71 contamination.
72 (f) Methods to manage waste containing PFAS to prevent
73 possible release or discharge into the environment which could
74 cause contamination of drinking water, groundwater, and soil.
75 (g) Appropriate testing for and monitoring of PFAS in
76 drinking water, groundwater, and soil to protect the public
77 health and welfare.
78 (h) Methods to eliminate workplace exposure within the
79 manufacturing and firefighting industries.
80 (6) The department shall provide staff to assist the task
81 force in performing its duties.
82 (7) The task force shall convene no later than October 1,
83 2022. The task force shall submit an annual report on its
84 progress and findings to the Governor, the President of the
85 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by each
86 October 1, beginning in 2023. In addition to the recommendations
87 required by subsection (5), the report must also include the
88 following information:
89 (a) The current science on PFAS, including harmful levels
90 and ingestion and exposure routes, with particular attention to
91 significant developments.
92 (b) Geographic areas with particularly high levels of
93 contamination identified in this state.
94 (c) Past and present actions by the state and federal
95 government to address PFAS.
96 (8) This section is repealed July 1, 2026.
97 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.