Florida Senate - 2022 (PROPOSED BILL) SPB 7012
FOR CONSIDERATION By the Committee on Environment and Natural
Resources
592-01105A-22 20227012pb
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 15 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 (2) The task force shall elect a chair from among its
50 membership. Except as otherwise provided, the task force shall
51 operate in a manner consistent with s. 20.052, Florida Statutes.
52 (3) The task force shall meet as necessary, but at least
53 quarterly, and may conduct its meetings through teleconferencing
54 or other similar means.
55 (4) Members of the task force are entitled to receive
56 reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses, pursuant to s.
57 112.061, Florida Statutes, for service on the task force.
58 (5) The task force shall develop recommendations for all of
59 the following:
60 (a) Enforceable regulatory standards for PFAS in drinking
61 water, groundwater, and soil.
62 (b) A mechanism for the identification and cleanup of
63 contaminated areas.
64 (c) Methods to address liability for contamination and
65 financial responsibility for cleanup.
66 (d) Appropriate methods and technologies, considering cost,
67 for cleanup and treatment of PFAS contamination.
68 (e) Funding sources and mechanisms for prioritizing the
69 distribution of funds for cleanup and remediation of PFAS
70 contamination.
71 (f) Methods to manage waste containing PFAS to prevent
72 possible release or discharge into the environment which could
73 cause contamination of drinking water, groundwater, and soil.
74 (g) Appropriate testing for and monitoring of PFAS in
75 drinking water, groundwater, and soil to protect the public
76 health and welfare.
77 (h) Methods to eliminate workplace exposure within the
78 manufacturing industry.
79 (6) The department shall provide staff to assist the task
80 force in performing its duties.
81 (7) The task force shall convene no later than October 1,
82 2022. The task force shall submit an annual report on its
83 progress and findings to the Governor, the President of the
84 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by each
85 October 1, beginning in 2023. In addition to the recommendations
86 required by subsection (5), the report must also include the
87 following information:
88 (a) The current science on PFAS, including harmful levels
89 and ingestion and exposure routes, with particular attention to
90 significant developments.
91 (b) Geographic areas with particularly high levels of
92 contamination identified in this state.
93 (c) Past and present actions by the state and federal
94 government to address PFAS.
95 (8) This section is repealed on July 1, 2026.
96 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.