Handbook of Florida Water Regulation: Contact Agencies1
Michael T. Olexa, Tatiana Borisova, and Zachary Broome2
Preface
This handbook is designed to provide an accurate, current, and authoritative summary of the principal federal and state (Florida) laws that directly or indirectly relate to agriculture. This handbook provides a basic overview of the many rights and responsibilities that farmers and farmland owners have under both federal and state laws as well as the appropriate contact information to obtain more detailed information. However, the reader should be aware that because the laws, administrative rulings, and court decisions on which this handbook is based are subject to constant revision, portions of this publication could become outdated at any time. Several details of cited laws are also left out due to space limitations.
This handbook is distributed with the understanding that the authors are not engaged in rendering legal or other professional advice, and the information contained herein should not be regarded as a substitute for professional advice. This handbook is not all inclusive in providing information to achieve compliance with the federal and state laws and regulations governing water protection. For these reasons, the use of these materials by any person constitutes an agreement to hold harmless the authors, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and the University of Florida for any liability claims, damages, or expenses that may be incurred by any person as a result of reference to or reliance on the information contained in this handbook.
Florida Agencies
S-1. Florida Water Management Districts
Southwest Florida Water Management District
2379 Broad Street
Brooksville, FL 34609
(352) 796-7211
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/
South Florida Water Management District
3301 Gun Club Road
Post Office Box 24680
West Palm Beach, Fl 33416-4680
(561) 686-8800
http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/sfwmdmain/hom%20page
St. Johns River Water Management District
4049 Reid Street (Highway 100 West)
Post Office Box 1429
Palatka, FL 32178
(386) 329-4500
http://floridaswater.com/
Suwannee River Water Management District
9225 County Road 49
Live Oak, FL 32060
(386) 362-1001
http://www.srwmd.state.fl.us/
Northwest Florida Water Management District
81 Water Management Drive
Havana, FL 32333-4712
(850) 539-5999
http://www.nwfwmd.state.fl.us/
S-2. Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Blvd
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000
(850) 245-2011
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/
Division of Administrative Services
3900 Commonwealth Blvd
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000
(850) 245-2307
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/admin/
Division of Air Resources Management
2600 Blair Stone Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400
(850) 488-0114
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/air/
Division of Environmental Resource Permitting
2600 Blairstone Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400
(850) 488-0114
Division of Waste Management
2600 Blairstone Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399-4500
(850) 245-8705
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/
Division of Water Resource Management
2600 Blairstone Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000
(850) 245-8336
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/
S-3. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Farris Bryant Building
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301-1600
(850) 488-4676
S-4. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The Capitol, Plaza Level Ten
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0800
Toll free (800) 435-7352
(850) 488-3022
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/
Division of Standards
3125 Conner Boulevard, Suite E
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1650
(850) 488-0645
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/standard/
Division of Forestry
3125 Conner Boulevard, Suite J
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1650
(850) 488-4274
http://www.fl-dof.com/
Division of Agriculture and Environmental Services
3125 Conner Boulevard, Suite F
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1650
(850) 617-7900
Division of Administration
1203 Governors Square Blvd, Suite 200
Tallahassee, FL 32399
(850) 488-6249
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/admin/
Office of Agricultural Water Policy
1203 Governors Square Blvd, Suite 200
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 617-1700
http://www.floridaagwaterpolicy.com/
S-5. Florida Department of Health
Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Onsite Sewage Programs
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Suite 240
Building 4042 (Bin#A08)
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1713
(850) 245-4070
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/ostds/
S-6. Florida Department of Community Affairs
Florida Department of Community Affairs
2555 Shumard Oak Blvd
Tallahassee, FL 32399
(850) 488-8466
http://www.dca.state.fl.us/
S-7. Florida State Emergency Response Commission / State Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Commission
Florida State Emergency Response Commission
Florida State Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Commission
2555 Shumard Oak Blvd
Tallahassee, Fl 32399-2100
(850) 413-9969
http://hazmat.floridadisaster.org/
EPA National Offices and Telephone Numbers
F-1. Safe Drinking Water Hotline
Provides information on EPA drinking water regulations and programs
Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, EST
Toll free (800) 426-4791 [closed on federal holidays]
F-2. RCRA/CERCLA (Superfund) Hotline
Provides information on RCRA and CERCLA and responds to document requests
Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, EST
Toll free (800) 424-9346 [closed federal holidays]
To request information on Superfund Information Systems (e.g., Superfund Site Information, Record of Decision System (RODS), Five-Year Reviews Online, etc.), including information on National Priorities List (NPL) sites, use online form at http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/phonefax/index.htm
F-3. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know (EPCRA)
Provides information about planning and preparation involving accidental releases of toxic chemicals
Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, EST
Toll free (800) 424-9346
F-4. TSCA Assistance Information Service
Provides information about toxic substances and compliance with TSCA regulations, and supplies publications and other materials to aid in compliance
Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm, EST
(202) 554-1404
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/hotline.htm
F-5. National Pesticide Information Center
Provides information on pesticides and pesticide poisonings
Monday - Sunday, 9:30 am - 7:30 pm, EST
Toll free (800) 858-7378
F-6. Florida Administrator of EPA Pesticide Registration
Bureau of Pesticides/Division of Inspection
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
3125 Conner Blvd., Building 6
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1650
(850) 617-7870
Numbers Within EPA Region 4 (Includes Florida)
L-1. General Information for Region 4
United States Environmental Protection Agency
61 Forsyth St SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
(800) 241-1754
http://www.epa/gov/aboutepa/region4.html
L-2. Hazardous Waste Compliance Section
United States Environmental Protection Agency
RCRA Enforcement, Tenth Floor
61 Forsyth St SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 562-8579
Supervises compliance with RCRA and resolves citizen problems dealing with hazardous waste management
L-3. Groundwater Section
Dealing with Groundwater Pollution, including violations of SDWA
(404) 562-9424
L-4. Emergency Superfund Branch
Handling response to spills and other CERCLA/RCRA issues
(800) 424-8802
(404) 562-8700 for spills
L-5. Clean Water Act Facilities and Performance
Branch/Compliance Section
Dealing with compliance to Clean Water Act
(404) 562-934
Water Permit and Enforcement Section
Permitting: (404) 562-9304
Enforcement: (404) 562-9770
Acknowledgments
The authors are indebted to the personnel of both state and federal agencies who provided their time and advice in the preparation of this handbook.
Footnotes
This is EDIS document FE616, a publication of the Food and Resource Economics Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Published December 2005, revised June 2011. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
Michael T. Olexa, professor, Food and Resource Economics Department, and director, Agricultural Law Center, University of Florida, and chair, Agricultural Law Committee, The Florida Bar; Tatiana Borisova, assistant professor, Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida; and Zachary Broome, student, Levin College of Law, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal
Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational
information and other services only to individuals and institutions
that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed,
color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital
status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations.
For more information on obtaining other extension publications,
contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service,
University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative
Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place,
Dean.
