Fla. Stat. § 376.79 — Florida Code / Title XXVIII / Chapter 376 / Section 376.79
376.79 Definitions relating to Brownfields Redevelopment Act.
Status: in_force

As used in ss. 376.77-376.85, the term:

(1) “Additive effects” means a scientific principle that the toxicity that occurs as a result of exposure is the sum of the toxicities of the individual chemicals to which the individual is exposed.

(2) “Antagonistic effects” means a scientific principle that the toxicity that occurs as a result of exposure is less than the sum of the toxicities of the individual chemicals to which the individual is exposed.

(3) “Background concentration” means the concentration of contaminants naturally occurring or resulting from anthropogenic impacts unrelated to the discharge of pollutants or hazardous substances at a contaminated site undergoing site rehabilitation.

(4) “Brownfield” means any real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by actual or perceived environmental contamination and which has not yet been entered into a brownfield site rehabilitation agreement pursuant to s. 376.80(5).

(5) “Brownfield area” means a contiguous area of one or more brownfields, some of which may not be contaminated, and which has been designated by a local government by resolution. Such areas may include all or portions of community redevelopment areas, enterprise zones, empowerment zones, other such designated economically deprived communities and areas, and United States Environmental Protection Agency-designated brownfield pilot projects.

(6) “Brownfield site” means the real property identified in a brownfield site rehabilitation agreement executed by the person responsible for brownfield site rehabilitation of the property and the department or a delegated local pollution control program, as applicable.

(7) “Contaminant” means any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance present in any medium which may result in adverse effects to human health or the environment or which creates an adverse nuisance, organoleptic, or aesthetic condition in groundwater.

(8) “Contaminated site” means any contiguous land, sediment, surface water, or groundwater areas that contain contaminants that may be harmful to human health or the environment.

(9) “Department” means the Department of Environmental Protection.

(10) “Engineering controls” means modifications to a site to reduce or eliminate the potential for exposure to chemicals of concern from petroleum products, drycleaning solvents, or other contaminants. Such modifications may include, but are not limited to, physical or hydraulic control measures, capping, point of use treatments, or slurry walls.

(11) “Environmental justice” means the fair treatment of all people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

(12) “Institutional controls” means the restriction on use of or access to a site to eliminate or minimize exposure to chemicals of concern from petroleum products, drycleaning solvents, or other contaminants. Such restrictions may include, but are not limited to, deed restrictions, restrictive covenants, or conservation easements.

(13) “Local pollution control program” means a local pollution control program that has received delegated authority from the Department of Environmental Protection under ss. 376.80(9) and 403.182.

(14) “Long-term natural attenuation” means natural attenuation approved by the department as a site rehabilitation program task for a period of more than 5 years.

(15) “Natural attenuation” means a verifiable approach to site rehabilitation that allows natural processes to contain the spread of contamination and reduce the concentrations of contaminants in contaminated groundwater and soil. Natural attenuation processes may include sorption, biodegradation, chemical reactions with subsurface materials, diffusion, dispersion, and volatilization.

(16) “Person responsible for brownfield site rehabilitation” means the individual or entity that is designated by the local government to enter into the brownfield site rehabilitation agreement with the department or an approved local pollution control program and enters into an agreement with the local government for redevelopment of the site.

(17) “Person” means any individual, partner, joint venture, or corporation; any group of the foregoing, organized or united for a business purpose; or any governmental entity.

(18) “Risk reduction” means the lowering or elimination of the level of risk posed to human health or the environment through interim remedial actions, remedial action, or institutional, and if appropriate, engineering controls.

(19) “Secretary” means the secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection.

(20) “Site rehabilitation” means the assessment of site contamination and the remediation activities that reduce the levels of contaminants at a site through accepted treatment methods to meet the cleanup target levels established for that site. For purposes of sites subject to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, the term includes removal, decontamination, and corrective action of releases of hazardous substances.

(21) “Source removal” means the removal of free product, or the removal of contaminants from soil or sediment that has been contaminated to the extent that leaching to groundwater or surface water has occurred or is occurring.

(22) “Synergistic effects” means a scientific principle that the toxicity that occurs as a result of exposure is more than the sum of the toxicities of the individual chemicals to which the individual is exposed.

History: s. 3, ch. 97-277; s. 2, ch. 98-75; s. 10, ch. 2000-317; s. 1, ch. 2004-40; s. 4, ch. 2008-239; s. 3, ch. 2016-184; s. 4, ch. 2025-116.