Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0423 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	HB 423 2023
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10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to implementation of the 2
16	16	recommendations of the Blue -Green Algae Task Force; 3
17	17	amending s. 381.0065, F.S.; requiring owners of 4
18	18	certain onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems 5
19	19	to have the systems periodically inspected beginning 6
20	20	on a specified date; requiring the Department of 7
21	21	Environmental Protection to administer the inspection 8
22	22	program and implement program standards, procedures, 9
23	23	and requirements; providing for rulemaking; amending 10
24	24	s. 403.067, F.S.; requiring estimated pollutant load 11
25	25	reductions in basin management action plans to meet or 12
26	26	exceed certain total maximum daily load requirements; 13
27	27	revising requirements for the allocation of pollut ant 14
28	28	load reductions in the plans; requiring the plans to 15
29	29	provide strategies for mitigating or eliminating 16
30	30	pollutant load increases; requiring the strategies to 17
31	31	be reevaluated during plan updates; requiring new or 18
32	32	revised plans to include a list that identi fies and 19
33	33	prioritizes certain spatially focused projects; 20
34	34	requiring the department to assess certain projects; 21
35	35	requiring the assessments to be included in plan 22
36	36	updates; providing an effective date. 23
37	37	24
38	38	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Flori da: 25
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40	40	HB 423 2023
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47	47	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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52	52	Section 1. Subsection (8) of section 381.0065, Florida 27
53	53	Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (9), and a new 28
54	54	subsection (8) is added to that section, to read: 29
55	55	381.0065 Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems; 30
56	56	regulation.— 31
57	57	(8) PERIODIC INSPECTIONS.—Effective July 1, 2025, the 32
58	58	owner of an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system, 33
59	59	excluding a system required to have an operating permit, must 34
60	60	have the system inspected at least once every 5 years to assess 35
61	61	the fundamental operational condit ion of the system, prolong the 36
62	62	life of the system, and identify any failure within the system. 37
63	63	The department shall administer an onsite sewage treatment and 38
64	64	disposal system inspection program for such periodic 39
65	65	inspections. The department shall implement t he program 40
66	66	standards, procedures, and requirements and adopt rules that 41
67	67	must include, at a minimum, all of the following: 42
68	68	(a) A schedule for a 5 -year inspection cycle. 43
69	69	(b) A county-by-county implementation plan phased in over 44
70	70	a 10-year period, with fir st priority given to those areas 45
71	71	within a priority focus area for springs identified by the 46
72	72	department. 47
73	73	(c) Minimum standards for a functioning system. 48
74	74	(d) Requirements for the pumpout or repair of a failing 49
75	75	system. 50
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84	84	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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88	88	(e) Enforcement procedures for fai lure of a system owner 51
89	89	to obtain an inspection of the system and failure of a 52
90	90	contractor to timely report inspection results to the department 53
91	91	and the system owner. 54
92	92	Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (7) of section 55
93	93	403.067, Florida Statutes, is ame nded to read: 56
94	94	403.067 Establishment and implementation of total maximum 57
95	95	daily loads.— 58
96	96	(7) DEVELOPMENT OF BASIN MANAGEMENT PLANS AND 59
97	97	IMPLEMENTATION OF TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOADS. — 60
98	98	(a) Basin management action plans. — 61
99	99	1. In developing and implementing the total maximum daily 62
100	100	load for a water body, the department, or the department in 63
101	101	conjunction with a water management district, may develop a 64
102	102	basin management action plan that addresses some or all of the 65
103	103	watersheds and basins tributary to the water body. The Such plan 66
104	104	must integrate the appropriate management strategies available 67
105	105	to the state through existing water quality protection programs 68
106	106	to achieve the total maximum daily loads and may provide for 69
107	107	phased implementation of these management strategies to promote 70
108	108	timely, cost-effective actions as provided for in s. 403.151. 71
109	109	Estimated pollutant load reductions in a basin management action 72
110	110	plan must meet or exceed the total amount of pollutant load 73
111	111	reductions needed to meet the total maximum daily load 74
112	112	requirements under the plan. The plan must establish a schedule 75
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121	121	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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125	125	implementing the management strategies, establish a basis for 76
126	126	evaluating the plan's effectiveness, and identify feasible 77
127	127	funding strategies for implementing t he plan's management 78
128	128	strategies. The management strategies may include regional 79
129	129	treatment systems or other public works, when appropriate, and 80
130	130	voluntary trading of water quality credits to achieve the needed 81
131	131	pollutant load reductions. 82
132	132	2. A basin manageme nt action plan must equitably allocate, 83
133	133	pursuant to paragraph (6)(b), pollutant load reductions to 84
134	134	individual basins, as a whole to all basins, or to each 85
135	135	identified point source or category of nonpoint sources, as 86
136	136	appropriate. For nonpoint sources for whi ch best management 87
137	137	practices have been adopted, the initial requirement specified 88
138	138	by the plan must be those practices developed pursuant to 89
139	139	paragraph (c). When appropriate, the plan may consider take into 90
140	140	account the benefits of pollutant load reduction ac hieved by 91
141	141	point or nonpoint sources that have implemented management 92
142	142	strategies to reduce pollutant loads, including best management 93
143	143	practices, before the development of the basin management action 94
144	144	plan. The allocation must consider projected increases in 95
145	145	pollutant loading related to population growth as estimated by 96
146	146	the University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business 97
147	147	Research and projected increases in pollutant loading related to 98
148	148	agricultural growth based on agricultural water use estimates by 99
149	149	the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The plan 100
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158	158	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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162	162	must provide strategies for mitigating or eliminating the 101
163	163	pollutant load increases for the life of the plan. The 102
164	164	strategies must be reevaluated during each plan update The plan 103
165	165	must also identify the mechanisms that will address potential 104
166	166	future increases in pollutant loading . 105
167	167	3. The basin management action planning process is 106
168	168	intended to involve the broadest possible range of interested 107
169	169	parties, with the objective of encouraging the greatest amount 108
170	170	of cooperation and consensus possible. In developing a basin 109
171	171	management action plan, the department shall assure that key 110
172	172	stakeholders, including, but not limited to, applicable local 111
173	173	governments, water management districts, the Department of 112
174	174	Agriculture and Consumer Services, other appropriate state 113
175	175	agencies, local soil and water conservation districts, 114
176	176	environmental groups, regulated interests, and affected 115
177	177	pollution sources, are invited to participate in the process. 116
178	178	The department shall hold at least o ne public meeting in the 117
179	179	vicinity of the watershed or basin to discuss and receive 118
180	180	comments during the planning process and shall otherwise 119
181	181	encourage public participation to the greatest practicable 120
182	182	extent. Notice of the public meeting must be published in a 121
183	183	newspaper of general circulation in each county in which the 122
184	184	watershed or basin lies at least 5 days, but not more than 15 123
185	185	days, before the public meeting. A basin management action plan 124
186	186	does not supplant or otherwise alter any assessment made under 125
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195	195	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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199	199	subsection (3) or subsection (4) or any calculation or initial 126
200	200	allocation. 127
201	201	4.a. Each new or revised basin management action plan must 128
202	202	shall include all of the following : 129
203	203	(I)a. The appropriate management strategies available 130
204	204	through existing water quality protection programs to achieve 131
205	205	total maximum daily loads, which may provide for phased 132
206	206	implementation to promote timely, cost -effective actions as 133
207	207	provided for in s. 403.151 .; 134
208	208	(II)b. A description of best management practices adopted 135
209	209	by rule.; 136
210	210	(III)c. A list of projects in priority ranking with a 137
211	211	planning-level cost estimate and estimated date of completion 138
212	212	for each listed project .; 139
213	213	(IV) A list that identifies and priorit izes spatially 140
214	214	focused suites of projects in areas likely to yield maximum 141
215	215	pollutant reductions. 142
216	216	(V)d. The source and amount of financial assistance to be 143
217	217	made available by the department, a water management district, 144
218	218	or other entity for each listed proj ect, if applicable.; and 145
219	219	(VI)e. A planning-level estimate of each listed project's 146
220	220	expected load reduction, if applicable. 147
221	221	b. For each project listed pursuant to this subparagraph 148
222	222	which has a total cost that exceeds $1 million, the department 149
223	223	must assess through integrated and comprehensive monitoring 150
224	224
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232	232	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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236	236	whether the project is working to reduce nutrient pollution or 151
237	237	water use, or both, as intended. The assessments must be 152
238	238	completed expeditiously and included in each plan update. 153
239	239	5. The department shall a dopt all or any part of a basin 154
240	240	management action plan and any amendment to the such plan by 155
241	241	secretarial order pursuant to chapter 120 to implement this 156
242	242	section. 157
243	243	6. The basin management action plan must include 158
244	244	milestones for implementation and water qua lity improvement, and 159
245	245	an associated water quality monitoring component sufficient to 160
246	246	evaluate whether reasonable progress in pollutant load 161
247	247	reductions is being achieved over time. An assessment of 162
248	248	progress toward these milestones shall be conducted every 5 163
249	249	years, and revisions to the plan shall be made as appropriate. 164
250	250	Revisions to the basin management action plan shall be made by 165
251	251	the department in cooperation with basin stakeholders. Revisions 166
252	252	to the management strategies required for nonpoint sources must 167
253	253	follow the procedures in subparagraph (c)4. Revised basin 168
254	254	management action plans must be adopted pursuant to subparagraph 169
255	255	5. 170
256	256	7. In accordance with procedures adopted by rule under 171
257	257	paragraph (9)(c), basin management action plans, and other 172
258	258	pollution control programs under local, state, or federal 173
259	259	authority as provided in subsection (4), may allow point or 174
260	260	nonpoint sources that will achieve greater pollutant reductions 175
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269	269	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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273	273	than required by an adopted total maximum daily load or 176
274	274	wasteload allocation to generate , register, and trade water 177
275	275	quality credits for the excess reductions to enable other 178
276	276	sources to achieve their allocation; however, the generation of 179
277	277	water quality credits does not remove the obligation of a source 180
278	278	or activity to meet applicable technology requirements or 181
279	279	adopted best management practices. The Such plans must allow 182
280	280	trading between NPDES permittees, and trading that may or may 183
281	281	not involve NPDES permittees, where the generation or use of the 184
282	282	credits involve an entity or activity not subject t o department 185
283	283	water discharge permits whose owner voluntarily elects to obtain 186
284	284	department authorization for the generation and sale of credits. 187
285	285	8. The department's rule relating to the equitable 188
286	286	abatement of pollutants into surface waters do not apply to 189
287	287	water bodies or water body segments for which a basin management 190
288	288	plan that considers takes into account future new or expanded 191
289	289	activities or discharges has been adopted under this section. 192
290	290	9. In order to promote resilient wastewater utilities, if 193
291	291	the department identifies domestic wastewater treatment 194
292	292	facilities or onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems as 195
293	293	contributors of at least 20 percent of point source or nonpoint 196
294	294	source nutrient pollution or if the department determines 197
295	295	remediation is necessar y to achieve the total maximum daily 198
296	296	load, a basin management action plan for a nutrient total 199
297	297	maximum daily load must include the following: 200
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306	306	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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310	310	a. A wastewater treatment plan developed by each local 201
311	311	government, in cooperation with the department, the water 202
312	312	management district, and the public and private domestic 203
313	313	wastewater treatment facilities within the jurisdiction of the 204
314	314	local government, that addresses domestic wastewater. The 205
315	315	wastewater treatment plan must: 206
316	316	(I) Provide for construction, expansion, or upgrades 207
317	317	necessary to achieve the total maximum daily load requirements 208
318	318	applicable to the domestic wastewater treatment facility. 209
319	319	(II) Include the permitted capacity in average annual 210
320	320	gallons per day for the domestic wastewater treatment facility; 211
321	321	the average nutrient concentration and the estimated average 212
322	322	nutrient load of the domestic wastewater; a projected timeline 213
323	323	of the dates by which the construction of any facility 214
324	324	improvements will begin and be completed and the date by which 215
325	325	operations of the improved facility will begin; the estimated 216
326	326	cost of the improvements; and the identity of responsible 217
327	327	parties. 218
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329	329	The wastewater treatment plan must be adopted as part of the 220
330	330	basin management action plan no later than July 1, 2025. A local 221
331	331	government that does not have a domestic wastewater treatment 222
332	332	facility in its jurisdiction is not required to develop a 223
333	333	wastewater treatment plan unless there is a demonstrated need to 224
334	334	establish a domestic wastewater treatment facility within its 225
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340	340	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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343	343	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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347	347	jurisdiction to improve wate r quality necessary to achieve a 226
348	348	total maximum daily load. A local government is not responsible 227
349	349	for a private domestic wastewater facility's compliance with a 228
350	350	basin management action plan unless such facility is operated 229
351	351	through a public-private partnership to which the local 230
352	352	government is a party. 231
353	353	b. An onsite sewage treatment and disposal system 232
354	354	remediation plan developed by each local government in 233
355	355	cooperation with the department, the Department of Health, water 234
356	356	management districts, and public and pr ivate domestic wastewater 235
357	357	treatment facilities. 236
358	358	(I) The onsite sewage treatment and disposal system 237
359	359	remediation plan must identify cost -effective and financially 238
360	360	feasible projects necessary to achieve the nutrient load 239
361	361	reductions required for onsite sewa ge treatment and disposal 240
362	362	systems. To identify cost -effective and financially feasible 241
363	363	projects for remediation of onsite sewage treatment and disposal 242
364	364	systems, the local government shall: 243
365	365	(A) Include an inventory of onsite sewage treatment and 244
366	366	disposal systems based on the best information available; 245
367	367	(B) Identify onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems 246
368	368	that would be eliminated through connection to existing or 247
369	369	future central domestic wastewater infrastructure in the 248
370	370	jurisdiction or domestic wastew ater service area of the local 249
371	371	government, that would be replaced with or upgraded to enhanced 250
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380	380	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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384	384	nutrient-reducing onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, 251
385	385	or that would remain on conventional onsite sewage treatment and 252
386	386	disposal systems; 253
387	387	(C) Estimate the costs of potential onsite sewage 254
388	388	treatment and disposal system connections, upgrades, or 255
389	389	replacements; and 256
390	390	(D) Identify deadlines and interim milestones for the 257
391	391	planning, design, and construction of projects. 258
392	392	(II) The department shall adopt the onsite sewage 259
393	393	treatment and disposal system remediation plan as part of the 260
394	394	basin management action plan no later than July 1, 2025, or as 261
395	395	required for Outstanding Florida Springs under s. 373.807. 262
396	396	10. When identifying wastewater projects in a basin 263
397	397	management action plan, the department may not require the 264
398	398	higher cost option if it achieves the same nutrient load 265
399	399	reduction as a lower cost option. A regulated entity may choose 266
400	400	a different cost option if it complies with the pollutant 267
401	401	reduction requirements of an adopted total maximum daily load 268
402	402	and meets or exceeds the pollution reduction requirement of the 269
403	403	original project. 270
404	404	Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 271