Environmental Remediation Contractors in Florida
Find environmental remediation contractors in Florida for soil cleanup, groundwater treatment, LUST closure, and PRP-funded sites. Serving Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and communities statewide.
What to Know About UST Remediation in Florida
Among the nation's busiest UST cleanup markets, Florida environmental remediation contractors handle nonstop demand. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) regulates petroleum cleanup under Chapter 376 Florida Statutes and Florida Administrative Code Chapters 62-770 and 62-780. Operators must report a confirmed release within 24 hours and submit a Discharge Report Form within five business days, after which FDEP opens a facility ID and routes the case into the assessment workflow. Florida uses Risk-Based Corrective Action under F.A.C. 62-780 to set cleanup target levels by exposure pathway and land use, with closure issued as a Site Rehabilitation Completion Order. Most contamination cases first surface during a Phase I ESA tied to a property transfer, refinance, or SBA loan inspection.
Demand concentrates around Miami-Dade and Broward in South Florida, the I-4 corridor through Orlando and Tampa, and the Jacksonville port and rail districts. South Florida sites face groundwater within 3 to 8 feet of the surface, which means even small gasoline releases reach the saturated zone within days. Central Florida cleanups tied to Orlando, Lakeland, and Polk County contend with karst limestone where solution channels can move plumes hundreds of feet in unpredictable directions. Tampa Bay and Pensacola harbor sites add saltwater intrusion concerns that complicate groundwater treatment design and cleanup target levels. Jacksonville and Tallahassee facilities sit on sandier overburden where conventional soil excavation works well, but Fort Myers and Naples coastal sites typically see the highest dewatering and offsite disposal costs in the state.
Soil excavation in Florida runs $50 to $200 per cubic yard for non-hazardous petroleum-impacted material delivered to a Subtitle D landfill, with hazardous-classification soil rising to $300 to $700 per cubic yard. Groundwater treatment using air sparging, in-situ chemical oxidation, or pump-and-treat ranges $40,000 to $200,000 for moderate plumes, with five-year monitoring adding $25,000 to $75,000. The Florida Petroleum Restoration Program reimburses or directly funds cleanup at eligible discharges through programs like EDI, ATRP, and PCPP under Chapter 376 Florida Statutes. Out-of-pocket costs at non-eligible commercial sites typically land between $60,000 and $400,000 from confirmed release through case closure. Karst geology, MTBE, or 1,4-dioxane detections can push budgets past $750,000 once treatability studies and extended monitoring stack on top.
A typical Florida cleanup begins with a Site Assessment Report under F.A.C. 62-780.600, followed by either Natural Attenuation Monitoring or a Remedial Action Plan, then Post Active Remediation Monitoring before the Site Rehabilitation Completion Order is requested. Soil-only releases can close in 24 to 36 months, while groundwater plumes in karst or under high water tables routinely run five to ten years. Field crews entering exclusion zones must hold current 40-hour HAZWOPER training under 29 CFR 1910.120 with annual 8-hour refreshers, and the contracting firm needs a Florida Pollutant Storage System Contractor license under Chapter 489 Florida Statutes. Property owners should require pollution legal liability coverage above $1 million and a Florida-licensed Professional Geologist or Engineer who will seal each report submitted to FDEP. Ask each bidder for a recent SRCO closure number and the FDEP facility ID before signing any subsurface scope of work.
remediation Contractors in Florida
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Browse Florida Contractors →Frequently Asked Questions
Do Florida environmental remediation contractors need state certification?
Yes, Florida requires firms performing UST work to hold a Pollutant Storage System Contractor license under Chapter 489 Florida Statutes, administered by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Field workers must complete 40-hour HAZWOPER training under 29 CFR 1910.120 before entering exclusion zones, with annual 8-hour refreshers thereafter. Site Assessment Reports and Remedial Action Plans must be sealed by a Florida-licensed Professional Geologist or Professional Engineer before submission to FDEP. Local fire marshals also issue installation and closure permits in most counties, adding a layer of municipal oversight. Always confirm the firm's PSSC license is active in the DBPR online portal before signing a contract.
How much does UST remediation cost in Florida?
Most Florida LUST projects run between $60,000 and $400,000 from confirmed release through Site Rehabilitation Completion Order. Soil-only excavation cases at small retail gas stations average $40,000 to $120,000 when the water table allows dry excavation. Groundwater plumes with active treatment commonly exceed $250,000, particularly when karst geology or shallow saturated zones force injection-based or sparging approaches. The Florida Petroleum Restoration Program may fund eligible discharges through EDI, ATRP, or PCPP, but newer commercial releases at active facilities are typically owner-funded. Adding 1,4-dioxane or PFAS analytical work can add $20,000 to $50,000 to the lab budget alone.
How long does a Florida petroleum cleanup take?
Shallow soil-only releases with no groundwater impact often reach SRCO within 24 to 36 months from initial assessment. Sites with confirmed groundwater contamination commonly run four to seven years through Natural Attenuation Monitoring or active treatment phases. Karst sites in Central Florida or coastal sites with very shallow water tables routinely extend past seven years due to plume tracking complications. FDEP review of closure documentation typically adds six to twelve months at the back end of the project. Owners should budget conservatively since program contractors and state reviewers rarely accelerate active assessment cases.
What is the Florida Petroleum Restoration Program and who qualifies?
The Florida Petroleum Restoration Program (PRP) is the funding mechanism FDEP uses to reimburse or directly fund cleanup at eligible petroleum discharge sites under Chapter 376 Florida Statutes. Eligibility runs through three main pathways. These include the Early Detection Incentive (EDI) program for older qualifying discharges, the Abandoned Tank Restoration Program (ATRP) for closed facilities, and the Petroleum Cleanup Participation Program (PCPP) for participants who cover a percentage of cleanup costs. Coverage caps and deductibles vary by program, and most post-1995 discharges at active facilities are not eligible. The state pays approved program contractors directly under the Pre-Approval and Pre-Approved Advance Cleanup (PAC) processes. Owners should confirm eligibility status with FDEP before assuming the state will fund any portion of the cleanup.
What happens during a Florida remediation project?
Work begins with a Site Assessment Report under F.A.C. 62-780.600 that defines the contamination footprint and source area. FDEP reviews the report and either issues No Further Action, requires Natural Attenuation Monitoring, or directs the contractor to submit a Remedial Action Plan. Active cleanup may use soil excavation, in-situ chemical oxidation, air sparging with soil vapor extraction, or enhanced bioremediation depending on contaminant type and site geology. Post Active Remediation Monitoring then runs for one or more years to confirm cleanup target levels remain stable. The Site Rehabilitation Completion Order is the closure document and removes the site from FDEP's open-case inventory.
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Browse Florida Contractors →For Florida UST regulations, visit the FDEP Storage Tank Compliance. Federal requirements are available from the EPA UST Program.