Florida Department Of Environmental Protection

What Florida Department Of Environmental Protection does

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is a state government agency founded in 1986 and headquartered at 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard in Tallahassee, Florida. As the state's lead agency for environmental management and stewardship, DEP protects air, water, and land resources through a combination of regulatory programs, permitting, grant administration, scientific monitoring, and ecosystem restoration. The agency operates through approximately 20 divisions and six regional district offices (Central, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast, Southwest), serving Florida residents, local and municipal governments, regulated industries, and academic institutions. Core programs include the Florida Forever land conservation initiative, Resilient Florida coastal adaptation program, Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs), Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), Springs and Aquifer Protection, Everglades restoration (the world's largest ecosystem restoration project), and Florida's Section 404 wetland permitting program. The agency also coordinates with five Water Management Districts, the U.S. EPA, NOAA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other federal-state partners.

DEP's operational technology stack centers on the Protecting Florida Together public data portal (real-time water quality data), a DEP Business Portal for online permitting, ArcGIS-based interactive mapping tools for spatial analysis of environmental resources, and specialized frameworks like BMAPs for water quality restoration. The agency funds and oversees research projects (e.g., biochar nutrient removal, 3D-printed phosphate adsorbents), manages 175 state parks and trails, and protects over 1,000 freshwater springs—the largest concentration on Earth. Florida's Section 404 Program was halted by federal court order on February 15, 2024, representing a material disruption to one of DEP's flagship permitting authorities.

As a state agency, DEP does not operate a commercial revenue model. Operations are funded through state appropriations, federal grants, permit fees, and environmental violation fines. The agency instead acts as a grant distributor, channeling hundreds of millions of dollars annually to municipal wastewater infrastructure, springs and lagoon restoration, university research, and ecosystem projects—exemplified by the $1 billion Water First North Florida aquifer recharge initiative co-approved in November 2025.

Name

Florida Department Of Environmental Protection

Legal name

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Website

https://floridadep.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is a state government agency headquartered in Tallahassee that regulates air, water, and land resources across Florida, administers environmental permits, manages 175 state parks, and distributes grant funding to municipalities for water quality, wastewater, and ecosystem restoration projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

State Environmental Protection Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Hazardous Waste Management (4955), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Protection Agencies & Environmental Health Departments (HLAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pollution Control & Environmental Compliance Enforcement (BPAIAMAB), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Environmental regulation
• Water resource management
• State parks management
• Wetland permitting
• Hazardous waste remediation

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallahassee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the state's lead agency for environmental management and stewardship, protecting Florida's air, water, and land resources. It administers environmental permitting, water quality restoration (BMAPs/TMDLs), springs and aquifer protection, state parks and trails, hazardous waste cleanup, land conservation (Florida Forever), coastal resilience (Resilient Florida), and grant programs for wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. Core operations also include public-facing digital portals for permitting and water quality data access.

Product overview

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection operates as the state's lead agency for environmental management and stewardship, offering a suite of digital platforms and programs for environmental protection. The core offering is the DEP website portal, supplemented by specialized programs including the Protecting Florida Together water quality data portal, DEP Business Portal for permit applications, and interactive mapping tools. Key programs include the Florida Forever land acquisition program, Resilient Florida adaptation program, Springs and Watershed Restoration Program, Basin Management Action Plans for water quality restoration, and TMDL program for pollutant management. The agency also administers Florida's Section 404 permitting program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Protecting Florida Together: A water quality data portal providing up-to-date water quality information from across Florida.
• Resilient Florida

Products and services

• Protecting Florida Together Portal Real-time water quality data platform providing public access to environmental monitoring data from across Florida to support restoration and protection efforts.
• DEP Business Portal Online permitting and regulatory compliance portal for businesses, local governments, and regulated entities to apply for environmental permits and manage compliance obligations.
• DEP Interactive Maps Web-based GIS mapping application providing geographic information on environmental resources, permits, water quality monitoring activity, springs locations, BMAPs, and TMDLs across Florida.
• Florida Forever Program Strategic land acquisition and conservation program that strengthens landscape connectivity, enhances ecosystem resilience, and protects Florida's natural heritage for future generations.
• Resilient Florida Program Coastal and climate resilience program that helps communities identify risks through planning grants and supports adaptation and mitigation strategies through the Statewide Resilience Plan.
• Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) Water quality restoration frameworks containing enforceable projects and management practices to achieve pollutant reductions established by TMDLs, developed with local stakeholders.
• Springs and Watershed Restoration Program Specialized protection and restoration program for Florida's springs and aquifer systems, including priority focus areas, nutrient source inventories, and nitrogen reduction strategies for Outstanding Florida Springs.
• Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) Program Scientific determination of maximum pollutant amounts that Florida surface waters can absorb while still meeting water quality standards for human health and aquatic life.
• Florida Section 404 Program Wetland and waters permitting program for dredge and fill activities in state-assumed waters, historically recognized as one of the nation's most efficient and protective Section 404 permitting programs.
• State Parks and Trails Network of 175 state parks, trails, aquatic preserves, and national estuarine research reserves providing recreational access, ecotourism, and environmental education across Florida.
• Air Resource Management Program Air quality monitoring, air emission permitting and compliance, and certification of power plants, transmission lines, and natural gas pipelines.
• Waste Management Program Solid and hazardous waste permitting and compliance, petroleum storage system regulation, state recycling program, and contaminated site cleanup and petroleum restoration.
• Division of Water Restoration Assistance Grants Grant and loan funding programs (Clean Water State Revolving Fund, Water Quality Improvement Grants, Springs and Watershed Restoration grants) administered to local governments for wastewater, stormwater, and water supply projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• DEP has removed nearly 650,000 tires from Osborne Reef as part of ongoing cleanup efforts
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Newberry, FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Regional partnership for construction of an $80 million wastewater treatment facility. DEP's Division of Water Restoration Assistance providing over $74 million in funding through Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Water Quality Improvement Grant program.
• Archer, FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Partner in regional wastewater treatment facility, contributing $12 million for 15% of capacity in the 1.2-million-gallon capacity plant serving western Alachua County.
• Florida Polytechnic UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026$300,000 grant funding for Dr. Yudi Wu's research on biochar-based system for removing nitrogen and phosphorus causing harmful algae blooms at Se7en Wetlands park in Lakeland.
• Florida A&M UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026Research collaboration with Florida Poly and Se7en Wetlands on two-year project to develop floating columns with biochar composite material to absorb nutrients and reduce eutrophication.
• Se7en WetlandscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026Research site for algae crisis study in Lakeland, Florida at a former phosphate mine site where the biochar system will be deployed.
• 4oceanminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026Ocean cleanup organization actively removing tires from Osborne Reef off Florida's coast, working alongside DEP's pilot cleanup project.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026NOAA's Marine Debris Program actively working to remove tires and protect coral health from the Osborne Reef tire cleanup project.
• 14 Local Initiatives (Indian River Lagoon)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 December 2025$25 million funding for 14 projects by local governments and organizations in the Indian River Lagoon area focused on wastewater treatment, stormwater upgrades, and septic system conversions.
• Suncoast WaterkeepercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025Multi-year lawsuit resulting in settlement agreement that produced $54.3 million grant for City of Bradenton's water system improvements including drinking water treatment and wastewater infrastructure.
• Florida Atlantic UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025$600,379 grant to College of Engineering and Computer Science for developing 3D-printed adsorbent materials for phosphate removal to combat harmful algal blooms.
• Florida Senate Environmental and Natural Resources CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025Committee unanimously advancing SB 302 for nature-based coastal resiliency, requiring DEP to adopt statewide guidelines for green-gray infrastructure.
• Suwannee River Water Management DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Co-approval of Water First North Florida initiative in November 2025, committing $125 million to the approximately $1 billion aquifer recharge project.
• St. Johns River Water Management DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Co-approval of Water First North Florida initiative, providing funding commitment alongside the Suwannee River Water Management District.
• Jacksonville Electric AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025$400 million funding commitment to Water First North Florida initiative for aquifer recharge using highly treated reclaimed water.
• Five Water Management DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEP coordinates with water management districts on water supply planning, minimum flows and levels, environmental restoration, and permitting across Florida's hydrological regions.
• U.S. Environmental Protection AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal coordination on hazardous waste sites (National Priorities List), Clean Water Act compliance, Clean Air Act monitoring, and national environmental standards.
• Florida Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination on Hazardous Waste Site Health Risk Assessment Program evaluating environmental contamination and producing health assessment reports for communities near hazardous sites.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint coordination on environmental contamination assessments, wildlife protection, and habitat restoration programs.
• U.S. Army Corps of EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination on Everglades restoration and other major ecosystem projects requiring federal-state partnership.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Environmental Defense Fund: Major U.S. environmental NGO that frequently engages with FDEP on litigation, permitting advocacy, and policy. Adjacent stakeholder rather than a regulatory peer.
• The Nature Conservancy (Florida Chapter): Conservation NGO partnering with FDEP on land acquisition, springs protection, and habitat restoration. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a regulatory competitor.

Direct peers

• California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA): California's cabinet-level environmental agency overseeing air, water, waste, and pesticides regulation. Most direct analogue to FDEP in scope and regulatory authority, scaled to a larger state.
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ): Texas's lead environmental regulator for air quality, water rights, and waste management. Comparable in mission to FDEP, with overlapping responsibilities in permitting and compliance.
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: New York's state environmental agency managing air, water, waste, and lands, plus state parks. Functionally analogous to FDEP across regulatory and stewardship roles.
• Georgia Environmental Protection Division: Georgia's lead state environmental regulatory agency for air, water, and land protection. Closely comparable in regulatory scope to a Florida-style DEP.
• North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality: North Carolina's cabinet-level environmental agency administering air, water, and waste programs. Direct functional peer to FDEP in mandate and program structure.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Federal environmental regulator that delegates authority to states like Florida and sets national standards. Operates at a broader jurisdictional level but shares core functions of permitting, monitoring, and enforcement.

Regional players

• South Florida Water Management District: Sub-state water management district covering the Everglades restoration area and coordinating closely with FDEP. Comparable to FDEP's water resource arm but geographically bounded to southern Florida.
• Suwannee River Water Management District: Regional water management district co-approving major FDEP initiatives such as Water First North Florida. Operates under FDEP coordination for water supply and aquifer recharge.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fldepnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/fldep
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/florida-department-of-environmental-protection

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Florida Department Of Environmental Protection