(1) The department is empowered to enforce this chapter or its rules by commencing and maintaining all proper and necessary actions and proceedings, including, but not limited to, application for injunction to the proper circuit court to grant a temporary or permanent injunction, or both, restraining any person from violating or continuing to violate any of the provisions of this chapter or from failing or refusing to comply with the requirements of this chapter or the rules promulgated thereunder.
(2) The department may deny, suspend, or revoke any license or certification, or the disbursal of state aid, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 120, upon any one or more of the following grounds as may be applicable:
(a) Violation of any rule of the department or provision of this chapter.
(b) Violation of FIFRA or any relevant EPA rule or regulation pertaining to the use of arthropod control pesticides by the licensee.
(c) Failure to give the department, or any authorized representative thereof, true information upon request regarding methods and materials used, work performed, or other information essential to the administration of this chapter.
(3) The department may, if it finds a violation is of such nature or circumstances that denial, revocation, or suspension of a certification or license or disbursal of state aid would be detrimental to the public or be unnecessarily harsh under the circumstances, in its discretion, place the offending party on probation for a period of not more than 2 years. If the department determines that the terms of such probation have been violated, it may reinstitute license or certification or state aid denial, suspension, or revocation proceedings.
(4) The department, pursuant to chapter 120, in addition to or in lieu of any other remedy provided by state or local law, may impose an administrative fine not exceeding $500, or less than $25, for each violation of any of the provisions of this chapter. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation. All amounts collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the department’s Aid to Local Governments Arthropod Control Program to be used for arthropod control research.
(5) In determining the amount of any penalty authorized by this section, the following factors shall be considered:
(a) The severity of the violation, including the probability that death or serious harm to the health or safety of any person or the environment will result or has resulted; the severity of the actual or potential harm; and the extent to which the provisions of this chapter were violated.
(b) Actions taken by the licensee or certified operator in charge to correct the violation or to mitigate actual or potential harm.
(c) Any previous violations of this chapter.
(6) The department shall publish quarterly a list of disciplinary actions taken pursuant to this chapter and shall provide such a list to each licensee.
History.—s. 13, ch. 86-203; s. 16, ch. 92-203.