CS/CS/HB 373 - Environmental Permits

• Entities created by special act, local ordinance, or interlocal agreement of counties or municipalities may receive reduced or waived permit processing fees if the project serves a public purpose and meets specific fiscal hardship criteria.

• Department of Environmental Protection must initiate rulemaking by July 1, 2012 to adopt a general permit for stormwater management systems serving airside airport activities, applicable statewide and administered by water management districts or delegated local governments.

• Municipalities and counties with community redevelopment areas may adopt stormwater adaptive management plans and obtain conceptual permits lasting at least 20 years for urban redevelopment projects, allowing stormwater discharges up to baseline rates if water quality demonstrates net improvement.

• Challenges to consolidated environmental resource permits, variances, or sovereign submerged lands authorizations for deepwater ports must be conducted as summary hearings within 30 days, with administrative law judge decisions issued as recommended orders; final department order due within 45 working days.

• Act takes effect July 1, 2012, except Section 4 takes effect upon enactment.