§ 27-301. Declaration of intent.

In order to protect the air, waters, soils, and other natural resources of Broward County, as well as to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Broward County's citizens, Broward County declares that the storage of hazardous material, as defined in section 27-302 of this article, must be regulated. Furthermore, the board finds that the unauthorized presence of hazardous material in storage tanks is prohibited, and a responsible party shall be required to take the necessary action to construct, operate and close all new, existing, or replacement storage tanks so that the air, waters, soils, or other natural resources are protected from contamination by such materials so that such storage tanks and their contents do not pose a threat to public health, safety, or to the environment.

This article provides standards for the licensing, construction, modification, installation, maintenance, removal and disposal of storage tank systems, which consist of tanks and their on-site integral piping systems and associated release detection, which store hazardous material. This article applies to aboveground storage tanks which have individual storage tank capacities of greater than five hundred fifty (550) gallons and underground storage tanks which have individual storage tank capacities of greater than one hundred ten (110) gallons. This article applies to aboveground mineral acid and hazardous substance storage tanks which have individual storage tank capacities greater than 110 gallons. Mineral acid storage tank systems are only subject to section 27-322, of this article.

This article establishes and provides for administration of a program to ensure the installation and proper use of gasoline vapor recovery equipment for fuel transport, transfer, and dispensing operations. The intent of this program is to reduce the release of volatile organic compounds and toxic air pollutants from the transport, transfer and dispensing of gasoline in Broward County.

It is the intent of the board that the Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department (hereinafter referred to as ("EPGMD"), to the extent permitted by state and federal law, shall have the authority to license, evaluate, review, and administer all storage tank and related activities in Broward County.

(Ord. No. 1999-46, § 1, 8-31-99; Ord. No. 2005-11, § 9, 5-24-05; Ord. No. 2009-56, § 1, 8-25-09)