(1) Any person desiring to construct, operate, or close a commercial low-level radioactive waste management facility in this state shall file an application with the department for a commercial low-level radioactive waste management license. An application for a commercial low-level radioactive waste management license shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) Location and ownership of the proposed site;

(b) A description of the chemical and physical properties of low-level radioactive waste to be treated, stored, or disposed of at the proposed facility;

(c) The estimated annual volume of low-level radioactive waste to be treated, stored, or disposed of at the proposed facility;

(d) Description of human occupancy within a 3-mile radius of the proposed site location;

(e) Site-specific information regarding the ecological, meteorological, topographical, hydrological, geological, and seismological characteristics of the proposed site;

(f) Usage of ground and surface waters in the general area surrounding the proposed site location;

(g) Design plans to assure that radioactive exposure to humans and the environment is within those limits established by federal and state laws and rules;

(h) Radiation safety procedures for the handling and disposal of low-level radioactive waste;

(i) Transportation routes that would be used by transporters of low-level radioactive waste;

(j) A financial statement showing the applicant’s ability to construct or operate a facility and complete the closure and postclosure observation and maintenance duties required by applicable federal and state laws and rules and to provide sufficient funds to any required perpetual care trust fund for the maintenance, monitoring, and surveillance of a facility, to be used after postclosure observation and maintenance have been completed;

(k) An applicant’s binding financial plan for carrying out facility closure and postclosure observation and maintenance;

(l) An applicant’s binding financial plan, or arrangement between the applicant and the site owner, that ensures sufficient funds will be available to provide for maintenance, monitoring, and surveillance of a facility, to be used after closure and postclosure observation and maintenance have been completed; and

(m) Any additional information required by the department.

(2) The department, within 90 days of receiving an application for a license to construct, operate, or close a commercial low-level radioactive waste management facility, shall forward a copy of the application to the Department of Environmental Protection and, after review by both departments, notify the applicant of any errors or omissions and request any additional information needed by the Department of Environmental Protection to issue a report to the Department of Health as required by subsection (3) and needed by the Department of Health to review the license application.

(3) The department, after receiving a complete license application, shall notify the Department of Environmental Protection that a complete license application to construct, operate, or close a commercial low-level radioactive waste management facility has been received, shall send a copy of the complete application to the Department of Environmental Protection, and shall request a report from the Department of Environmental Protection describing the ecological, meteorological, topographical, hydrological, geological, and seismological characteristics of the proposed site. Such report shall be completed no later than 180 days from the date the department requests the report. The Department of Environmental Protection shall be reimbursed for the cost of the report from fees collected by the Department of Health pursuant to subsection (8).

(4) Using reference guidelines provided by the Southeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission pursuant to Article IV of the Southeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact, the department shall establish the necessary criteria and procedures for evaluating a proposed site location for a commercial low-level radioactive waste management facility. In addition, the department shall also develop the necessary criteria and procedures for evaluating the following:

(a) A proposed facility design for a commercial low-level radioactive waste management facility;

(b) A proposed financial plan for carrying out facility closure and postclosure observation and maintenance; and

(c) A proposed financial plan, or arrangement between an applicant and a site owner, of a commercial low-level radioactive waste management facility that provides for the maintenance, monitoring, and surveillance of such facility, to be used after closure and postclosure observation and maintenance have been completed.

(5) The department shall consider the report by the Department of Environmental Protection in addition to information required by the Department of Health in the license application and, within 180 days from receiving that report, decide whether to grant a license to construct, operate, or close the commercial low-level radioactive waste management facility. Such a license shall be subject to renewal by the department as specified in the terms of the license initially granted by the department. The failure of the department to renew a license does not relieve the licensee of any obligations incurred under this section.

(6) At least two public hearings shall be held by the department in the community nearest the proposed site of a commercial low-level radioactive waste management facility to gain public input regarding the construction, operation, or closure of such facility and to use that input in considering whether to grant a license. The first public hearing shall be held by the department no sooner than 30 days and no later than 45 days after the department notifies the governing body of each municipality or county within 3 miles of the proposed facility and the municipality and county in which the proposed facility is located that a complete license application has been received. The first public hearing shall be held in the area of the local government having jurisdiction over the proposed site. The second public hearing shall be held by the department after it receives the Department of Environmental Protection report as required in subsection (3).

(7) If an application for a commercial low-level radioactive waste license results from the Southeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission designating this state as a host state, pursuant to Article IV of the Southeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact, the department shall have legal standing to intervene on behalf of the State of Florida and may seek modification of, or exemption from, host state designation by the Southeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission.

(8) The department shall charge and collect reasonable fees from applicants for commercial low-level radioactive waste management licenses. Such fees shall be no greater than the estimated costs to the department of reviewing and taking final action on a license application and the estimated costs to the Department of Environmental Protection of issuing a report as required in subsection (3). The department may base the amount of such fees upon the size and type of commercial low-level radioactive waste management facility an applicant wishes to construct, operate, or close.

History.—ss. 19, 22, ch. 82-186; ss. 17, 18, ch. 84-190; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 453, ch. 94-356; s. 58, ch. 97-237.