The bill amends several sections of Florida Statutes concerning the management and rehabilitation of brownfield sites, which are properties that may be contaminated but have potential for redevelopment. It removes the requirement for property owners to provide information about institutional controls to local governments for mapping purposes and eliminates local government mapping requirements. Additionally, sites that receive a site rehabilitation completion order without institutional controls will be removed from the registry of contaminated sites. The bill also revises the conditions for claiming tax credits for rehabilitating contaminated sites, specifying application timeframes and updating eligibility criteria. New definitions and legislative findings regarding brownfield sites are introduced, emphasizing the importance of removing barriers to redevelopment and ensuring that cleanup criteria are met without being hindered by contamination in other portions of larger sites.

Moreover, the bill establishes eligibility criteria for participation in the brownfield program, allowing local governmental entities and individuals who have not contributed to contamination after July 1, 2025, to participate. It clarifies that cleanup criteria apply only to brownfield sites and introduces new language regarding necessary approvals from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for federally enforced sites. The process for granting economic development ad valorem tax exemptions for businesses in brownfield areas is modified, allowing local authorities to limit exemptions to new businesses and expansions that create jobs. The bill also prioritizes the location of agriculture education and promotion facilities in brownfield sites during funding evaluations, aiming to promote reuse while ensuring environmental cleanup standards are met. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 733 Filed: 376.78, 196.1995, 288.1175
H 733 c1: 376.78, 196.1995, 288.1175
H 733 er: 376.78, 196.1995, 288.1175