62-771.300. Scoring System and Scoring System Application

(1) For sites that have not been scored, the initial scoring system is as follows:

(a) Fire/Explosion Hazard

1. Free product or volatilized petroleum products at or above 20% of the Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) in existing utility conduits or vaults, or buildings or other inhabited confined space shall be awarded 60 points.

2. Ignitable free product on surface water or impoundments shall be awarded 60 points.

(b) Threat to Uncontaminated Drinking Water Supplies

1. Uncontaminated municipal or community well fields of greater than 100,000 gallons per day permitted capacity with a well within 1/2 mile of the site shall be awarded 30 points, and

a. If the well field’s 1 foot drawdown contour is known to encompass the site regardless of the well field’s distance from the site, an additional 20 points shall be awarded, or

b. If the well field is located down gradient of the site, an additional 15 points shall be awarded.

2. Uncontaminated private wells constructed prior to date of contamination discovery, or uncontaminated public water system well field with less than 100,000 gallons per day permitted capacity, with a well within 1/4 mile of the site shall be awarded 20 points, and

a. If the well field’s 1 foot drawdown contour is known to encompass the site regardless of the well field’s distance from the site, an additional 10 points shall be awarded, or

b. If the well field is located down gradient of the site, an additional 5 points shall be awarded.

3. Uncontaminated surface water body used as a public water system supply within 1/2 mile of the site shall be awarded 10 points.

(c) Migration Potential

1. Source Characteristics (select only one)

a. Recent spill or free product found in wells/boreholes shall be awarded 4 points, except that 2 or more inches of free product found in 2 or more wells/boreholes shall be awarded a total of 6 points.

b. Recent product loss or wells/groundwater contaminated, but no free product, shall be awarded 2 points.

2. Product Type (select only one)

a. Light petroleum product (kerosene, gasoline, aviation fuel and similar petroleum products) with water soluble additives or enhancers (MTBE, ethanol, and similar substances) shall be awarded 3 points.

b. Light petroleum product with no additives or enhancers shall be awarded 2 points.

c. Heavy petroleum product (fuel oil, diesel and similar petroleum products) shall be awarded 1 point.

(d) Environmental Setting

1. Site located in G-1 area, as described in Rule 62-520.410, F.A.C., shall be awarded 4 points.

2. Site located in G-2 aquifer, as described in Rule 62-520.410, F.A.C., shall be awarded 2 points.

3. Site located in high recharge/permeability geological area shall be awarded 4 points.

4. Site located within 1/2 mile of an Outstanding Florida Water shall be awarded 1 point.

(2) A site not meeting the criteria for a category receives no points for that category.

(3) Points shall be totaled and sites ranked based on the total numerical score for a site.

(4) Sites involving incidents of contamination related to the storage of a petroleum or petroleum product reported to the Department pursuant to Sections 376.305, 376.3071 or 376.3072, F.S., shall be scored in accordance with the provisions of the scoring system in Rule 62-771.300, F.A.C.

(5)Rescoring. 

(a) Based on site-specific data, the Department will rescore (award or deduct points from the current score using the applicable criteria in subsection 62-771.300(1), F.A.C.), and modify the priority status of a site after completion of a Site Assessment or Remedial Action work if the site meets the criteria in subsection 62-780.690(1), F.A.C. Long-term natural attenuation is subject to the criteria in Section 376.3071(5)(c)2., F.S. If active remediation is required to resume, the site shall be rescored in accordance with this subsection. Notwithstanding the priority ranking score of a site that has been rescored, funds from the Inland Protection Trust Fund shall be made available for implementation of a monitoring plan in accordance with the site’s program eligibility.

(b) At the request of the responsible party for a site, a site will be rescored (by awarding or deducting points from the initial score using the applicable criteria in subsection 62-771.300(1), F.A.C.) after the following:

1. A Site Assessment Report has been approved by the Department, pursuant to Rule 62-780.600, F.A.C.

2. A Risk Assessment Report has been approved by the Department, pursuant to Rule 62-780.650, F.A.C.

3. A Post Active Remediation Monitoring Report has been approved by the Department, pursuant to Rule 62-780.750, F.A.C.

(6) Priority List. A priority list of sites shall be developed based on an ordering of scored sites such that the highest scored site(s) shall be of highest priority for response action and the lowest scored site(s) shall be of lowest priority for response action. The priority ranking list shall be maintained on the Department’s website and contain the date that any site is rescored. All scored sites shall be incorporated into the priority list with the position of all sites previously on the list being adjusted accordingly.

(7) Site Selection and Task Assignments. Sites will be selected for response actions beginning with the highest ranked sites on the most recent priority ranking list and proceed through lower ranked sites.  Contractors will be assigned to specific program tasks at sites in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 62-772, F.A.C.

(8) Once a task assignment is made, a subsequent adjustment to the priority list shall not alter that task assignment unless the Department determines that a more cost effective approach can be achieved by a reassignment, that a compelling public health or environmental condition warrants a reassignment, or that reassignment is otherwise in the overall public interest.

(9) Regardless of a site’s score, the Department may initiate emergency action for those sites that, in the judgment of the Department, are an imminent threat to human health and safety or where failure to prevent migration of petroleum contamination would cause irreversible damage to the environment. Once the threat that necessitated the emergency action has been addressed the site will return to the appropriate place in priority ranking.

Rulemaking Authority 376.303, 376.3071 FS. Law Implemented 376.30, 376.301, 376.303, 376.305, 376.3071, 376.30711, 376.30713, 376.30714, 376.30715, 376.30716, 376.3072 FS. History–New 5-5-87, Formerly 17-71.030, Amended 6-5-89, 11-16-89, 2-14-93, Formerly 17-771.300, Amended 12-5-96, 1-16-14.