Environmental data; quality assurance.

(1) The department must establish, by rule, appropriate quality assurance requirements for environmental data submitted to the department and the criteria by which environmental data may be rejected by the department. The department may adopt and enforce rules to establish data quality objectives and specify requirements for training of laboratory and field staff, sample collection methodology, proficiency testing, and audits of laboratory and field sampling activities. Such rules may be in addition to any laboratory certification provisions under ss. 403.0625 and 403.863.

(2)(a) The department, in coordination with the water management districts, regional water supply authorities, and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, shall establish standards for the collection and analysis of water quantity, water quality, and related data to ensure quality, reliability, and validity of the data and testing results.

(b) To the extent practicable, the department shall coordinate with federal agencies to ensure that its collection and analysis of water quality, water quantity, and related data, which may be used by any state agency, water management district, or local government, is consistent with this subsection.

(c) To receive state funds for the acquisition of land or the financing of a water resource project, state agencies and water management districts must show that they followed the department’s collection and analysis standards, if available, as a prerequisite for any such request for funding.

(d) The department and the water management districts may adopt rules to implement this subsection.