Published on: 20539670. The Joint Administrative Procedures Committee (JAPC) periodically reviews agency rules for consistency with the governing statutes. The District is undertaking rule development to amend several rules to address comments received from JAPC. The District will delete several references to “discretionary” language and amend various provisions to provide clarity to water users.
Published on: 20302893. The proposed rule amendments will address comments received from the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee as follows: 1) replace discretionary language in Rules 40E-21.221 and 40E-21.275; 2) delete subsection (6) of Rule 40E-21.421; and 3) replace language that states "shall be voluntarily reduced" in numerous places throughout Rule 40E-21.551 to state that it "should be voluntarily reduced."
Published on: 11622072. The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) gives notice that it is developing rules, as part of a statewide effort headed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and joined by all five water management districts (WMDs), to increase consistency in the consumptive use permitting (CUP), minimum flows and levels, and water supply related programs of the WMDs. Procedural issues will also be addressed. This rule development is proposed to be coordinated with similar rule development by the other WMDs throughout Florida. SFWMD anticipates potential amendments to Chapters 40E-0, 40E-1, 40E-2, 40E-3, 40E-5, 40E-8, 40E-10, 40E-20, 40E-21, 40E-22, 40E-24, and the Basis of Review for Water Use Permit Applications within the South Florida Water Management District. These changes will address the goals of the DEP and the WMDs for this rulemaking, including: 1) making the consumptive use permitting program less confusing for applicants, particularly those who work in more than one District; 2) treating applicants equitably statewide; 3) providing consistent protection of the environment; 4) streamlining the permitting process; and, 5) incentivizing behavior that protects water resources, including conservation. Additional information about the statewide CUP consistency initiative and this rule development effort is available at DEP's website at: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/waterpolicy/cupcon.htm.