Powers and duties of the Department of Health.

For protection of the public health and safety, the department is authorized to:

(1) Develop comprehensive policies and programs for the evaluation, determination, and amelioration of hazards associated with the use, possession, or disposal of sources of ionizing radiation. Such policies and programs shall be developed with due regard for compatibility or consistency with federal programs for regulation of radiation machines and byproduct, source, and special nuclear materials.

(2) Advise, consult, and cooperate with other agencies of the state, the Federal Government, other states, interstate agencies, political subdivisions, and other organizations concerned with the safe use of sources of radiation.

(3) Encourage, participate in, or conduct studies, investigations, public hearings, training, research, and demonstrations relating to the control of sources of ionizing radiation, the measurement of ionizing radiation, the effect upon public health and safety of exposure to ionizing radiation, and related problems.

(4) Adopt, promulgate, amend, and repeal rules and standards which may provide for licensure, registration, or regulation relating to the manufacture, production, transportation, use, possession, handling, treatment, storage, disposal, sale, lease, or other disposition of radioactive material, including naturally occurring radioactive material and low-level radioactive waste, and radiation machines as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. The recommendations of nationally recognized bodies in the field of radiation protection shall be taken into consideration in the adoption, promulgation, amendment, and repeal of such rules and standards.

(5) Require the submission of plans, specifications, and reports for new construction and material alterations on the design and protective shielding of installations for radioactive material and radiation machines, excluding X-ray machines of less than 200,000 volts potential, and on systems for the disposal of radioactive wastes, for the determination of any ionizing radiation hazard; and it may render opinions and approve or disapprove such plans and specifications.

(6) Require all sources of ionizing radiation to be shielded, transported, handled, used, possessed, treated, stored, or disposed of in a manner to provide compliance with the provisions of this chapter and rules and standards adopted hereunder.

(7) Conduct evaluations of the levels of radioactive materials in the environment for the purpose of determining whether there is compliance with, or violation of, the provisions or standards contained in this chapter or the rules issued pursuant hereto or to otherwise protect the public health and safety.

(8) Collect and disseminate information relating to the control of sources of ionizing radiation, including, but not limited to:

(a) Maintenance of files of all radioactive material license applications, issuances, denials, amendments, transfers, renewals, modifications, suspensions, and revocations.

(b) Maintenance of files of all radiation machine registrants requiring registration under the provisions of this chapter.

(c) Maintenance of files of department licensees and nuclear power plant licensees of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission that generate low-level radioactive waste, recording the quarterly amount of low-level radioactive waste shipped by each licensee to commercial low-level radioactive waste management facilities.

(9) Require, on forms prescribed and furnished by the department, registration and periodic reregistration of radiation machines, and licensing and periodic renewal of licenses for radioactive materials.

(10) Exempt certain sources of ionizing radiation, or kinds of uses or users, from the licensing or registration requirements set forth in this chapter when the department determines that the exemption of such sources of ionizing radiation, or kinds of users or uses, will not constitute a significant risk to the health and safety of the public.

(11) Adopt rules pursuant to this chapter which may provide for the recognition of other state and federal licenses as the department deems desirable, subject to such registration requirements as it may prescribe.

(12) Respond to any emergency which involves possible or actual release of radioactive materials, carry out or supervise any required decontamination, and otherwise protect the public health and safety.

(13) Act as the designated state agency in this state responsible for ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Southeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact and for assessing penalties for noncompliance with such provisions as prescribed in ss. 404.161 and 404.162.

(14) Require department licensees and nuclear power plant licensees of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission to take appropriate measures to reduce the volume of low-level radioactive waste they generate, and to monitor the progress of department licensees and nuclear power plant licensees of the commission in reducing such volume.

(15) Develop and implement a responsible data-management program for the purpose of collecting and analyzing statistical information necessary to protect the public health and safety and to reply to requests from the Southeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission for data and information.

(16) Accept and administer loans, grants, or other funds or gifts, conditional or otherwise, in furtherance of its functions from the Federal Government and from other sources, public or private.