Environmental Protection Board Rules
Environmental Protection Board Rules pertaining to Hazardous Materials may be found at EPB Rule 7.
Emergency Response
Jacksonville averages more than 300 incidents per year requiring some form of response to release of hazardous materials into the environment. Our objective is to respond onsite within 45 minutes of any event to minimize risk to public health, safety, property and the environment in which we live. Approximately half the incidents are transportation-related (vehicular accidents) and half involve petroleum as the contaminant released.
Storage Tank Compliance Inspection Program
Florida was one of the first states to pass legislation and adopt rules for underground and aboveground storage tanks systems (USTs and ASTs) in 1983. The greatest potential threat from these tank systems is contamination of groundwater; therefore, Florida has some of the most stringent storage tank rules in the country.
The City’s Storage Tank Compliance Inspection Program is contracted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to provide compliance assistance and conduct compliance Inspections for facilities with ASTs and USTs to ensure that these facilities are operating in compliance and to proactively prevent discharges from the tank systems. The City has adopted all of the FDEP storage tank regulations. These regulations along with additional storage tank information and forms can be found at https://floridadep.gov/waste/storage-tank-compliance.
Questions regarding the City’s Storage Tank Compliance Inspection Program can be directed to (904) 255-7100 or tankprogram@coj.net.
Small Quantity Generator (SQG) Notification and Assessment/Verification Program
The Small Quantity Generator Notification and Assessment/Verification Program is mandated under Florida Statutes 403.7225(3), 403.7234(1) and 403.7234(4). The purpose of the program is to identify, notify and inspect potential and known generators that generate less than 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste each month. The Program is self-funded through fees that are assessed to facilities that have been inspected and verified to be generating hazardous waste.
The primary objective of the program is to protect the environment from spills or discharges of regulated or hazardous substances by conducting compliance assistance inspections of facilities that use or store hazardous or regulated materials. An integral part of the program is to provide compliance assistance to small businesses to help them reduce the number of hazardous materials and regulated materials used and in turn to produce less hazardous and regulated wastes. We also distribute educational materials that provide ways to avoid, minimize, or otherwise manage wastes to the economic and social advantage of the businesses. We conduct more than 500 of these compliance assistance inspections each year.
The City has adopted all the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations for regulated and hazardous wastes. These can be found at https://floridadep.gov/waste/permitting-compliance-assistance/content/hazardous-waste-management-main-page.
Questions regarding the City’s Small Quantity Generator Notification and Assessment/Verification Program can be directed to (904) 255-7100.
Petroleum Cleanup Program
The City’s Petroleum Cleanup Program is contracted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to manage the assessment and cleanup of petroleum contamination from storage tank systems. The current rule governing the assessment and remediation of petroleum contamination is Chapter 62-780, Florida Administrative Code.
Questions regarding the City’s Petroleum Cleanup Program be directed to (904) 255-7100 or petroleum@coj.net.