§ 58-33. Pollution recovery fund created; purpose; maintenance; source and disposition of moneys.

(a)

There is hereby created the Pinellas County pollution recovery fund for the purpose of:

(1)

Mitigating the impact of damage resulting from violations of ordinances, rules, and regulations adopted by the board pertaining to the regulation of the air, water, soil, noise, natural resources, and animal and plant life of the county;

(2)

Acquiring, protecting, restoring, and maintaining land in the county for the purpose of creating or enhancing habitats having unique or significant ecological value;

(3)

Purchasing plants for placement on and constructing capital improvements on public properties, and providing for their maintenance, for the purposes set forth in this article; and

(4)

Making other expenditures that advance the purposes set forth in this article.

(b)

The Pinellas County pollution recovery fund must be kept, maintained, and identified by the board solely for the purposes set forth in this article. The finance director of the county is authorized to establish the Pinellas County pollution recovery fund and to receive and disburse moneys from the fund in accordance with the provisions of this article.

(c)

The Pinellas County pollution recovery fund consists of the following moneys:

(1)

All moneys recovered by the board in any action against, or settlement or consent order with, any person who has polluted or engaged in an activity in violation of any ordinance, rule, or regulation adopted by the board pertaining to the regulation of the air, water, soil, noise, natural resources, or animal or plant life of the county or in an activity tending to pollute the air, soil, or water of the county. However, any moneys specified in this paragraph which are required to be deposited in alternative funds or trusts pursuant to federal, state, or local law may not be deposited in the Pinellas County pollution recovery fund.

(2)

All moneys offered to and accepted by the county for the Pinellas County pollution recovery fund in the form of federal, state, or other governmental grants, allocations, or appropriations, as well as foundation or private grants and donations.

(d)

Unless otherwise restricted by the terms and conditions of a particular grant, gift, appropriation, or allocation, all interest earned on the investment of moneys of the Pinellas County pollution recovery fund accrue to that fund and may be disbursed only for projects authorized consistent with this article. The moneys in the Pinellas County pollution recovery fund may be invested only in accordance with the laws pertaining to the investment of county funds.

(Laws of Fla. ch. 90-403, § 5)