Alternative Text Description for FDEP Storage Tank Contamination Monitoring

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays regulated facilities with registered above-ground or underground storage tanks across the state of Florida, monitored through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Storage Tank Contamination Monitoring program. The map shows thousands of point locations representing both currently and previously regulated facilities, as well as facilities registered for tracking on-site petroleum contamination. The extensive distribution of red circular symbols across Florida reveals the widespread presence of storage tank facilities throughout the state.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the entire state of Florida, including the Florida Panhandle extending westward and the peninsula extending southward. Major cities labeled on the map include Jacksonville in the northeast, Orlando in the central region, Tampa on the west-central coast, Miami in the southeast, and Cape Coral in the southwest. The map also shows portions of neighboring states including southern Georgia (with cities Dothan, Albany, and Valdosta visible) and southern Alabama. The Straits of Florida are labeled at the southern tip of the state. Waters of the Gulf of America are visible along Florida's western coastline and panhandle region.

KEY INSIGHTS

Storage tank contamination monitoring facilities are densely distributed throughout the entire state of Florida, with particularly heavy concentrations in urbanized areas. The highest density of facilities appears in major metropolitan regions including the Jacksonville area, the Orlando metropolitan area, the Tampa-St. Petersburg region, and the Miami-Fort Lauderdale corridor in southeast Florida. The Florida Panhandle shows continuous dense coverage from the western border extending eastward. Notably, several isolated facilities appear offshore in the Gulf of America, likely representing facilities on islands or coastal installations. The distribution pattern closely follows population centers and transportation corridors, with fewer facilities visible in the Everglades region and other less developed areas of central and southern Florida.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

FDEP Storage Tank Contamination Monitoring

This layer represents regulated facilities from the Storage Tank Contamination Monitoring program, including facilities with registered above-ground or underground storage tanks.

Storage Tank Monitoring Facilities (red circles with black outlines)

Appearance:

Each facility is represented by a solid red circular symbol with a black outline, creating a distinctive appearance when symbols cluster together.

Distribution:

Facilities are distributed across the entire state of Florida with the highest concentrations in urban and suburban areas. Coverage extends from the western Panhandle through the peninsula to the Florida Keys. Several facilities appear in offshore waters of the Gulf of America.

Notable locations:

Major concentrations occur in Jacksonville, the Orlando metropolitan area, the Tampa Bay region, the Fort Lauderdale-Miami corridor, Cape Coral, and throughout the Panhandle. Dense linear patterns appear along Florida's Atlantic coast from Jacksonville southward to Miami. The central Florida I-4 corridor between Tampa and Orlando shows particularly heavy facility concentration.

Spatial patterns:

Facilities cluster most densely in urbanized regions and along major transportation corridors. Linear arrangements follow coastlines and major highway routes. The pattern reveals gaps in less populated areas including portions of the Everglades, Big Cypress National Preserve, and rural agricultural regions of central Florida. Isolated individual facilities and small clusters appear throughout rural areas, likely representing gas stations, agricultural facilities, or small commercial operations.

Overlapping Patterns

In highly urbanized areas such as downtown Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami, facility symbols overlap so densely that individual points become difficult to distinguish, creating nearly continuous red coverage. These areas of maximum density correspond to commercial and industrial centers where storage tank facilities are most concentrated.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents a comprehensive statewide inventory of storage tank facilities regulated or monitored by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The dataset includes both active and historical facilities, providing a complete picture of locations where petroleum storage and potential contamination have been tracked over time. The dense coverage throughout Florida reflects the state's extensive network of gas stations, fuel distribution centers, industrial facilities, and other operations requiring petroleum storage. Users should note that the presence of a facility on this map does not necessarily indicate current contamination or regulatory violations; rather, it indicates registration with the monitoring program for oversight and tracking purposes.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

Data is sourced from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Storage Tank Contamination Monitoring (STCM) program, which maintains records of facilities with registered storage tanks and tracks petroleum contamination at registered sites. Data source layer name: STCM_FEB26.

Definition Query:

Information about definition query or filtering criteria was not provided.

Scale Information:

The map shows a statewide view of Florida at a scale that allows visualization of all facilities across the entire state while maintaining readability of major city labels and general distribution patterns.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The data source indicates a February 26 dataset date, though the specific year was not provided in the layer name.

Limitations:

The dataset represents facilities registered with the state monitoring program and may not include unregistered or undiscovered storage tank locations. The map shows point locations at facility addresses, which may not precisely represent the exact location of individual storage tanks on larger properties. Historical facilities that have been properly closed and remediated remain in the dataset, so presence on the map does not automatically indicate current operations or contamination concerns.

Map Coverage:

The map extent includes the entire state of Florida from the western Panhandle boundary to the Florida Keys, and from the Georgia-Florida border southward. Small portions of southern Georgia and southern Alabama are visible for geographic context. Offshore areas of the Gulf of America and Atlantic Ocean are shown where isolated facilities are registered.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.