Time for Consideration of Emergency Petition

(1) Within 5 days after filing a petition for emergency variance or waiver with the agency clerk, the agency shall give notice of receipt of the petition on its website, if it has one. The agency shall also give notice by any procedure that is fair under the circumstances or provide notice of the petition to the Department of State for publication in the first available issue of the Florida Administrative Register. Any notice under this subsection shall inform interested persons of the right to submit comments. Interested persons or other agencies may submit written comments on the petition for emergency variance or waiver within 5 days after publication of the notice required herein. The notice and comment requirements in this subsection shall not apply if the agency head finds that an immediate danger to the public health, safety, or welfare requires an immediate final order, which final order shall recite with particularity the facts underlying such finding.

(2) The agency shall grant or deny a petition for emergency variance or waiver or determine that the request is not an emergency within 30 days of its receipt by the agency. If such petition is not granted or denied within this time limit, the petition shall be deemed approved unless the time limit is waived by the petitioner.

(3) If the agency decides that the situation is not an emergency, the agency shall so notify the petitioner in writing, and the petition shall then be reviewed by the agency on a non-emergency basis as set forth in Section 120.542(7), F.S.

(4) The duration of an emergency variance or waiver shall be determined by the agency.

(5) The agency shall issue a written order granting or denying the petition. The order shall state the facts and reasons supporting the agency’s action.