The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) kicked off its efforts to streamline the Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP) program last week with a rule workshop/webinar on Thursday, July 26. As authorized in the passage of HB 7003, DEP hopes to create one consistent rule to be used statewide, including all five of the water management districts.

Sound easy? We doubt it.

The desire to improve the ERP program is not new but the team at DEP is to be commended for taking on this task.  Their goal is to complete this rulemaking process by the end of 2012, which is optimistic at best.

The July 26 workshop previewed a 100-page rewrite of Chapter 62-330, which will replace numerous rules used by the water management districts to list procedures for processing permits, conditions for permits, forms, permit types, etc. In addition, a complete listing of all ERP exemptions and general permits has been added to this draft rule, including a few new general permits for activities such as soil remediation, geotechnical investigations, etc. You can find this rule and much more information at DEP’s website.

The next workshop/webinar is scheduled for August 7 and promises to have much more substance as the the changes to the Applicant’s Handbook will be rolled out. This is where the rubber meets the road as attempts will be made to standardize review procedures for permitting. DEP has said repeatedly that this effort will not weaken environmental protection and will account for special basin considerations.

Audubon Florida will be watching and participating in this process. If you have questions about this process or the rule itself, you can join the public Discussion Forum on the DEP website or email Audubon's  Mary Jean Yon.