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decisions on which this handbook is based are subject to constant revision, portions of this publication could become outdated at any time.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 provided as an educational text for those interested in water use and water resource issues in Florida.
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 UF/IFAS Center for Agricultural and Natural Resource Law, and UF/IFAS Extension 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. Note: UF/IFAS is the acronym for University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
List of Acronyms
The following is a list of acronyms for the Handbook of Florida Water Regulation (FE579 – FE617, FE1017 – FE1019)
ACE—United States Army Corp of Engineers
BMAP—Basin Management Action Plan
BMP—Best Management Practice
BRA—Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Act
CAFO—Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
CERCLA—Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (or Superfund)
CERP—Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program
CWA—Clean Water Act
EAA—Everglades Agricultural Area
ECP—Everglades Construction Project
EPA—Environmental Protection Agency
EPCRA—Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
ERC—Environmental Regulation Commission
ESA—Endangered Species Act
FAC—Florida Administrative Code
FARMS—Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems
FAWPCA—Florida Air and Water Pollution Control Act
FCPTF—Florida Coastal Protection Trust Fund
FDACS—Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
FDEM—Florida Division of Emergency Management
FDEP—Florida Department of Environmental Protection
FDOH—Florida Department of Health
FEFA—Florida Everglades Forever Act
FEPCRA—Florida Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
FFWCC—Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
FIFRA—Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
FLOPP—Florida Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan
FPDPCA—Florida Pollution Discharge Prevention and Control Act
FPL—Florida Pesticide Law
FRTFA—Florida Right-To-Farm Act
FSAPA—Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act
FSHMERC—Florida State Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Commission
FQPA—Food Quality Protection Act
FWMD—Florida Water Management Districts
FWPCA—Federal Water Pollution Control Act
FWRA—Florida Watershed Restoration Act
HRS—Hazard Ranking System
IPM—Integrated Pest Management
LEPC—Local Emergency Planning Committee
LOWCP—Lake Okeechobee Watershed Construction Project
MSSW—Management and Storage of Surface Waters
NEEPP—Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program
NEPA—National Environmental Policy Act
NIOSH—National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NPDES—National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NRCS—Natural Resources Conservation Service
OAWP—Office of Agricultural Water Policy
OFS—Outstanding Florida Springs
OSTDS—Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System
PIR—Project Implementation Report
PRC—Pesticide Review Council
RCRA—Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
SARA—Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
SCS—Soil Conservation Service
SDWA—Safe Drinking Water Act
SERC—State Emergency Response Commission
SFWMD—South Florida Water Management District
SQG—Small Quantity Generator
STA—Stormwater Treatment Areas
SWCD—Soil and Water Conservation District
SWIM—Surface Water Improvement Management
TCNS—Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough Reservoir and Treatment Area Project
TMDL—Total Maximum Daily Loads
TSCA—Toxic Substances Control Act
UIC—Underground Injection Control
USDA—United States Department of Agriculture
WMD—Water Management District
WPS—Watershed Protection Section
WQS—Water Quality Standards
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. We acknowledge Carol Fountain and Susan Gildersleeve at the University of Florida for their assistance in editing this handbook. We also acknowledge funding received for updating this publication from the James S. and Dorothy F. Wershow Agricultural Law Endowment.
