62-341.453. General Permit for Installation, Maintenance, Repair, and Removal of Underground Cable, Conduit, or Pipeline (Transferred)

(1) A general permit is hereby granted for the installation, maintenance, repair, and removal of underground cable, conduit, or pipeline that transmit electricity, communication signals, potable water, raw water, reclaimed water, domestic wastewater, propane gas or natural gas.

(2) This general permit is subject to the following special conditions:

(a) The maximum width of the disturbed corridor in wetlands shall not exceed 30 feet. The maximum width of the excavated trench shall not exceed eight feet, with temporary spoil storage banks not to exceed ten feet in width;

(b) The total area of wetland disturbance shall not exceed 0.5 acres of forested wetlands per ten miles of cable, conduit, or pipeline;

(c) For a trench with a top width greater than three feet in herbaceous wetlands, the upper layer of the soil horizon shall initially be scraped and segregated into a spoil bank that is separated from the spoil bank resulting from the excavation of the trench for the utility line. The upper layer of the soil horizon shall be replaced as the last step of restored grades to facilitate natural revegetation;

(d) Maintenance trimming or removal of trees in wetlands will be conducted only within the impacted areas authorized under this general permit and only as necessary to perform repairs on the cable, conduit, or pipeline;

(e) This general permit does not authorize construction in surface waters other than wetlands;

(f) There shall be no net placement of permanent fill resulting from the activities authorized by this general permit;

(g) There shall be no dredging or filling in wetlands to access the work areas authorized by this general permit, except for temporary mats. All temporary mats shall be removed within thirty days after completion of the installation of the line within the wetland portion of the project;

(h) The works authorized by this general permit shall not impede the flow of water in wetlands or other surface waters, except for a maximum period of 30 days during construction, provided that the impeded flow does not cause flooding and shall not adversely affect the wetlands or other surface waters;

(i) Temporary spoil banks shall contain breaches that prevent impoundment or restriction of surface water flows;

(j) This general permit does not authorize the installation of conduit for draining wetlands or other surface waters;

(k) Pre-construction ground elevations and the contours of all disturbed soils, including vehicle ruts in wetlands and other surface waters, shall be restored within 30 days of completion of line installation. Restored grades shall be stabilized within 72 hours following completion of elevation and contour restoration to minimize erosion;

(l) Vehicle usage in wetlands and other surface waters shall be conducted so as to minimize tire rutting and erosion impacts;

(m) For purposes of this general permit, vehicular access in wetlands and other surface waters shall be limited to existing roads, trails, rights-of-way or easements, and to other previously disturbed corridors where they exist;

(n) This general permit shall not apply in Outstanding Florida Waters, Outstanding National Resource Waters, Aquatic Preserves, or Class I waters; and

(o) During the initial clearing event and when conducting subsequent normal maintenance activities, the permittee shall eradicate all Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), Australian pine (Casuarina spp.), and punk tree (Melaleuca quinquinerva) from the wetland portions of the utility right of way.

Specific Authority 373.026(7), 373.043, 373.118(1), 373.406(5), 373.414(9), 373.418, 403.805(1) FS. Law Implemented 373.118(1), 373.406(5), 373.413, 373.414(9), 373.416, 373.418 FS. History–New 10-3-95.