1. (1) For purposes of this section, the Big Cypress watershed is defined as the area in Collier County and the adjoining portions of Hendry, Broward, Dade, and Monroe Counties which is designated as the Big Cypress Swamp in U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report No. 70003.

2. (2) The Big Cypress Swamp Advisory Committee is hereby created in the Department of Environmental Protection. The Big Cypress Swamp Advisory Committee shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of Environmental Protection. To ensure compliance with all requirements for obtaining a permit to explore for hydrocarbons in the Big Cypress Swamp area, each application for such permit shall be reviewed by the Big Cypress Swamp Advisory Committee. The committee shall have no final authority on approval or denial of permits but shall make recommendations to the department. The committee shall meet at the call of the chair to evaluate a pending application for a permit to drill in the Big Cypress watershed and may make other evaluations requested by the department. The membership of the committee shall be as follows:

   1. (a) The State Geologist, who shall serve as chair.
   2. (b) A representative from the oil industry.
   3. (c) A representative from an organized conservation group.
   4. (d) A botanist.
   5. (e) A hydrologist.
3. (3) The committee shall administer this section pursuant to the laws of the state, and the rules and orders of the department which apply generally to oil and gas. If site-specific conditions require, the committee may recommend that additional procedures, safeguards, or conditions which are necessary to protect the integrity of the Big Cypress area be required as a condition to the issuance of a permit to drill and produce.

History.--s. 73, ch. 96-323.