FL H0713

Authorizes the Department of Environmental Protection to implement water quality credit trading in adopted basin management action plans on an ongoing basis, expanding beyond the previous pilot project limitation to the Lower St. Johns River Basin.

Allows point and nonpoint sources that achieve greater pollutant reductions than required to generate, register, and trade water quality credits to enable other sources to meet their allocation requirements.

Establishes that water quality credit trading must be implemented through permits or legally binding agreements as established by department rule, with the department responsible for establishing pollutant load reduction values and authorizing credit use.

Removes the requirement that voluntary water quality credit trading be limited to a pilot project in the Lower St. Johns River Basin and eliminates the requirement for a 24-month report on pilot project effectiveness.

Takes effect July 1, 2013.