(a)1. There is hereby levied an excise tax for the privilege of producing in, importing into, or causing to be imported into this state pollutants for sale, use, or otherwise.
2. The tax shall be imposed only once on each barrel of pollutant, other than petroleum products, when first produced in or imported into this state. The tax on pollutants first imported into or produced in this state shall be imposed when the product is first sold or first removed from storage. The tax shall be paid and remitted by any person who is licensed by the department to engage in the production or importation of motor fuel, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, or other pollutants.
3. The tax shall be imposed on petroleum products and remitted to the department in the same manner as the motor fuel tax imposed pursuant to s. 206.41.
(b) The excise tax shall be 2 cents per barrel of pollutant, or equivalent measure as established by the department, produced in or imported into this state until the balance in the Coastal Protection Trust Fund equals or exceeds $50 million. For the fiscal year immediately following the year in which the balance in the fund equals or exceeds $50 million, no excise tax shall be levied unless:
1. The balance in the fund is less than or equal to $40 million. For the fiscal year immediately following the year in which the balance in the fund is less than or equal to $40 million, the excise tax shall be and shall remain 2 cents per barrel or equivalent measure until the fund again equals or exceeds $50 million. For the fiscal year immediately following the year in which the fund again is equal to or exceeds $50 million, the excise tax and fund shall be controlled as when the fund first was equal to or exceeded $50 million.
2. There is a discharge of catastrophic proportions, the results of which could significantly reduce the balance in the fund. In the event of such a catastrophic occurrence, the Secretary of Environmental Protection may, by rule, relevy the excise tax in an amount not to exceed 10 cents per barrel for a period of time sufficient to maintain the fund at a balance of $50 million, after payment of the costs and damages related to the catastrophic discharge.
3. The fund is unable to pay any proven claims against the fund at the end of the fiscal year. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, for the fiscal year following the year in which the fund is unable to pay any proven claims against the fund at the end of the fiscal year, the excise tax shall be and shall remain 5 cents per barrel or equivalent measure until all outstanding proven claims have been paid and the fund again equals or exceeds $20 million. For the fiscal year immediately following the year in which the fund, after levy of the 5-cent excise tax, again is equal to or exceeds $20 million, the excise tax and fund shall be controlled in accordance with subparagraph 1., unless otherwise provided.
4. The fund has had appropriated to it by the Legislature, but has not yet repaid, state funds from the General Revenue Fund. In such event, the excise tax shall continue to be in effect until all such funds are repaid to the General Revenue Fund.
(c)1. Excluding natural gas drilling activities, if offshore oil drilling activity is approved by the United States Department of the Interior for the waters off the coast of this state in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or Straits of Florida, paragraph (b) shall not apply. Instead, the excise tax shall be 2 cents per barrel of pollutant, or equivalent measure as established by the department, produced in or imported into this state, and the proceeds shall be deposited into the Coastal Protection Trust Fund with a cap of $100 million.
2. If a discharge of catastrophic proportions occurs, the results of which could significantly reduce the balance in the fund, the Secretary of Environmental Protection may, by rule, increase the levy of the excise tax to an amount not to exceed 10 cents per barrel for a period of time sufficient to pay any proven claim against the fund and restore the balance in the fund until it again equals or exceeds $50 million; except that for any fiscal year immediately following the year in which the fund is equal to or exceeds $50 million, the excise tax and fund shall be governed by the provisions of subparagraph 1.
(2) TAX FOR WATER QUALITY.—
(a)1. There is hereby levied an excise tax for the privilege of producing in, importing into, or causing to be imported into this state pollutants for sale, use, or otherwise.
2. The tax shall be imposed only once on each barrel or other unit of pollutant, other than petroleum products, when first produced in or imported into this state. The tax on pollutants first imported into or produced in this state shall be imposed when the product is first sold or first removed from storage. The tax shall be paid and remitted by any person who is licensed by the department to engage in the production or importation of motor fuel, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, or other pollutants.
3. The tax shall be imposed on petroleum products and remitted to the department in the same manner as the motor fuel tax imposed pursuant to s. 206.41.
(b) The excise tax shall be the applicable rate as specified in subparagraph 1. per barrel or per unit of pollutant, or equivalent measure as established by the department, produced in or imported into the state. If the unobligated balance of the Water Quality Assurance Trust Fund is or falls below $3 million, the tax shall be increased to the applicable rates specified in subparagraph 2. and shall remain at said rates until the unobligated balance in the fund exceeds $5 million, at which time the tax shall be imposed at the rates specified in subparagraph 1. If the unobligated balance of the fund exceeds $12 million, the levy of the tax shall be discontinued until the unobligated balance of the fund falls below $5 million, at which time the tax shall be imposed at the rates specified in subparagraph 1. Changes in the tax rates pursuant to this paragraph shall take effect on the first day of the month after 30 days’ notification to the Department of Revenue when the unobligated balance of the fund falls below or exceeds a limit set pursuant to this paragraph. The unobligated balance of the Water Quality Assurance Trust Fund as it relates to determination of the applicable excise tax rate shall exclude the unobligated balances of funds of the Dry Cleaning, Operator Certification, and nonagricultural nonpoint source programs, and other required reservations of fund balance. The unobligated balance in the Water Quality Assurance Trust Fund is based upon the current unreserved fund balance, projected revenues, authorized legislative appropriations, and funding for the department’s base budget for the subsequent fiscal year. Determination of the unobligated balance of the Water Quality Assurance Trust Fund shall be performed annually subsequent to the annual legislative appropriations becoming law.
1. As provided in this paragraph, the tax shall be 2.36 cents per gallon of solvents, 1 cent per gallon of motor oil or other lubricants, and 2 cents per barrel of petroleum products, pesticides, ammonia, and chlorine.
2. As provided in this paragraph, the tax shall be 5.9 cents per gallon of solvents, 2.5 cents per gallon of motor oil or other lubricants, 2 cents per barrel of ammonia, and 5 cents per barrel of petroleum products, pesticides, and chlorine.
(c) Any person producing in or importing into the state a liquid mixture and claiming that the mixture is not subject to taxation as a pollutant shall bear the burden of demonstrating to the Department of Revenue that the mixture is not a pollutant or is intended for application to the human body or for use in human personal hygiene or for human ingestion.
(3) TAX FOR INLAND PROTECTION.—
(a)1. There is hereby levied an excise tax for the privilege of producing in, importing into, or causing to be imported into this state pollutants for sale, use, or otherwise.
2. The tax shall be imposed only once on each barrel of pollutant produced in or imported into this state in the same manner as the motor fuel tax imposed pursuant to s. 206.41. The tax shall be paid or remitted by any person who is licensed by the department to engage in the production or importation of motor fuel, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, or other pollutants.
(b)1. The excise tax per barrel of pollutant, or equivalent measure as established by the department, produced in or imported into this state shall be:
a. Thirty cents if the unobligated balance of the fund is between $100 million and $150 million.
b. Sixty cents if the unobligated balance of the fund is above $50 million, but below $100 million.
c. Eighty cents if the unobligated balance of the fund is $50 million or less.
2. Any change in the tax rate shall be effective for a minimum of 6 months, unless the unobligated balance of the fund requires that a higher rate be levied.
3. If the unobligated balance of the fund exceeds $150 million, the tax shall be discontinued until such time as the unobligated balance of the fund reaches $100 million.
4. The Secretary of Environmental Protection shall immediately notify the Department of Revenue when the unobligated balance of the fund falls below or exceeds an amount set herein. Changes in the tax rates pursuant to this subsection shall take effect on the first day of the month after 30 days’ notification to the Department of Revenue by the Secretary of Environmental Protection when the unobligated balance of the fund falls below or exceeds a limit set pursuant to this subsection. The unobligated balance of the Inland Protection Trust Fund as it relates to determination of the applicable excise tax rate shall exclude any required reservations of fund balance. The unobligated balance of the Inland Protection Trust Fund is based upon the current unreserved fund balance, projected revenues, authorized legislative appropriations, and funding for the department’s base budget for the subsequent fiscal year. Determination of the unobligated balance of the Inland Protection Trust Fund shall be performed annually subsequent to the annual legislative appropriations becoming law.
(4) For purposes of this section, the term “first sale” does not include exchanges or loans, gallon-for-gallon, of petroleum products between licensed terminal suppliers before the petroleum products have been sold or removed through the loading rack or transfers between terminal facilities owned by the same taxpayer. The tax on petroleum products first imported into this state by a licensed terminal supplier storing such petroleum products in a terminal facility shall be imposed when the product is first removed through the loading rack. The tax shall be remitted by the licensed terminal supplier who owned the petroleum products immediately prior to removal of such petroleum products from storage.
(5) The sum of $8 million or 2.5 percent, whichever is greater, of the amount credited to the Inland Protection Trust Fund pursuant to subsection (3) shall be transferred to the Florida Coastal Protection Trust Fund and used for the purposes authorized in s. 376.11.
History.—s. 11, ch. 74-336; ss. 82, 84, ch. 83-310; s. 10, ch. 84-338; s. 3, ch. 86-159; s. 66, ch. 87-99; s. 1, ch. 87-374; s. 2, ch. 88-393; s. 2, ch. 89-171; s. 2, ch. 89-175; s. 1, ch. 90-54; s. 11, ch. 90-98; s. 2, ch. 91-194; s. 3, ch. 91-305; s. 14, ch. 92-30; s. 48, ch. 94-356; s. 58, ch. 95-280; s. 94, ch. 95-417; s. 2, ch. 96-352; s. 6, ch. 2000-210; s. 1, ch. 2000-317; s. 1, ch. 2007-81; s. 1, ch. 2007-336; ss. 86, 87, ch. 2016-62.
Note.—Subsection (1) former s. 376.11(4)(a), (b); subsection (2) former s. 376.307(5)(a), (b).
