(1) Any information, other than effluent data and those records described in 42 U.S.C. s. 7661a(b)(8), relating to secret processes or secret methods of manufacture or production, or relating to costs of production, profits, or other financial information which is otherwise not public record, which may be required, ascertained, or discovered by inspection or investigation shall be exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1), shall not be disclosed in public hearings, and shall be kept confidential by any member, officer, or employee of the department, upon a showing satisfactory to the department that the information should be kept confidential. The person from whom the information is obtained must request that the department keep such information confidential and must inform the department of the basis for the claim of confidentiality. The department shall, subject to notice and opportunity for hearing, determine whether the information requested to be kept confidential should or should not be kept confidential. The department shall determine whether the information submitted should be kept confidential pursuant to the public purpose test as stated in 1s. 119.14(4)(b)3.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the use of such records in judicial or administrative proceedings when ordered to be produced by appropriate subpoena or by order of the court or an administrative law judge. No such subpoena or order of the court or administrative law judge shall abridge or alter the rights or remedies of persons affected in the protection of trade secrets or secret processes, in the manner provided by law, and such persons affected may take any and all steps available by law to protect such trade secrets or processes.
(3) Information submitted by or required of permit applicants or permittees pursuant to s. 403.0885 is not subject to the provisions of this section but is subject to the provisions of 40 C.F.R. s. 122.7.
History.—s. 12, ch. 67-436; ss. 26, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 6, ch. 74-133; s. 1, ch. 90-74; s. 5, ch. 93-94; s. 77, ch. 93-213; s. 239, ch. 96-406; s. 133, ch. 96-410.
1Note.—Repealed by s. 1, ch. 95-217.