Golf course best management practices certification.

(1) To provide a means of documenting and ensuring compliance with best management practices for fertilizer application to golf courses, the turfgrass science program at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, in coordination with the department, shall administer a certification for golf course best management practices.

(2) The turfgrass science program, in cooperation with the department, shall:

(a) Provide training and testing programs in golf course best management practices and may issue certificates demonstrating satisfactory completion of the training.

(b) Approve training and testing programs in golf course best management practices that are equivalent to or more comprehensive than the programs provided by the turfgrass science program under paragraph (a). Such programs must be reviewed and reapproved by the turfgrass science program if significant changes are made.

(3) To obtain a golf course best management practices certification, an applicant must submit to the turfgrass science program a copy of the training certificate issued under subsection (2).

(4) A golf course best management practices certification issued under this section expires 4 years after the date of issuance. Upon expiration of the certification, or after a grace period of not more than 30 days after the expiration date, a recertification may be issued.

(5) To obtain a golf course best management practices recertification, an applicant must submit to the turfgrass science program proof of having completed 8 classroom hours of continuing education, of which at least 2 hours must address fertilizer best management practices.

(6) A person certified under this section is exempt from:

(a) Additional local training.

(b) Local ordinances relating to water and fertilizer use blackout periods or restrictions, unless a state of emergency is declared. The certified person must continue to coordinate with the local government to ensure that he or she adheres to the comprehensive best management practices for that specific community.

(7) This section does not exempt a person certified under this section from complying with the rules and requirements for basin management action plans set forth in s. 403.067(7) if the golf course is located in an area within a basin management action plan.

(8)(a) The turfgrass science program may provide the certification status of persons certified under this section to local and state governmental entities.

(b) The turfgrass science program is encouraged to create a registry of persons certified under this section on its website.