Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (DER) was the agency which, from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s, handled regulation, management, conservation, compliance and enforcement of a wide range of environmental

Natural environment

The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....

 and natural resource

Natural resource

Natural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts of biodiversity and geodiversity existent in various ecosystems....

 activities in the state of Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, USA. Prior to that time, these activities were functions of the Florida Department of Health

Florida Department of Health

The Florida Department of Health is responsible for protecting the public health and safety of the residents and visitors of the State of Florida. It is a cabinet level agency of the state government, headed by a State surgeon general who reports to the Governor...

 and of the Florida Department of Pollution Control. DER has now been merged with the Florida Department of Natural Resources to form the Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the Florida government agency charged with environmental protection.-History:...

.

It performed a regulatory role, relying on air and water quality standards and waste management regulations. It was specifically tasked with the goals of:

• keeping Florida’s waters clean
• keeping Florida’s air clear of pollutants
• keeping Florida’s land free from contamination

Environmental Regulation Commission

The Florida Environmental Regulation Commission (ERC) is an unpaid citizenry board created under Section 20.255(7), Florida Statutes (F.S.). The commission is tasked with weighing/balancing all factors that go into setting standards. Membership consists of “seven residents of this state appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate.”

The duties and powers of the Commission are set in Section 403 of the Florida Statutes. The ERC was defined as the standard-setting authority for the DER. The role of the ERC was to approve for adoption most standards relating to air pollution, water quality, and waste management.

Sources

• Florida Statutes. Section 403.804.