Bill Text: FL S1082 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Implementation of the Water and Land Conservation Constitutional Amendment

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Failed) 2017-05-05 - Died in Environmental Preservation and Conservation [S1082 Detail]

Download: Florida-2017-S1082-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2017                                    SB 1082
       
       
        
       By Senator Brandes
       
       
       
       
       
       24-01131-17                                           20171082__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to implementation of the water and
    3         land conservation constitutional amendment; amending
    4         s. 375.041, F.S.; requiring a minimum specified amount
    5         of funds within the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to be
    6         appropriated to the Department of Environmental
    7         Protection for specified water supply, water
    8         restoration, and water resource development projects;
    9         requiring such distribution to be reduced by an amount
   10         equal to the debt service paid on certain bonds;
   11         providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
   16  375.041, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   17         375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
   18         (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
   19  pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
   20         (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
   21  under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
   22  pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
   23         1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
   24  shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
   25  implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
   26  forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
   27  Project subject to Congressional authorization; the Long-Term
   28  Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
   29  and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
   30  From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
   31  year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
   32  Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
   33  s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
   34  under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
   35  the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
   36  each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
   37  planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
   38  Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
   39  373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project
   40  subject to Congressional authorization. The Department of
   41  Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management
   42  District shall give preference to those Everglades restoration
   43  projects that reduce harmful discharges of water from Lake
   44  Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a
   45  timely manner. For the purpose of performing the calculation
   46  provided in this subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid
   47  pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016,
   48  for the purposes set forth under paragraph (b) shall be added to
   49  the amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
   50  (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
   51  reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
   52  paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
   53  purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
   54         2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
   55  shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
   56  protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
   57  performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
   58  amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
   59  issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under
   60  paragraph (b) shall be added to the amount remaining after the
   61  payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
   62  distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
   63  to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
   64  issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
   65  subparagraph.
   66         3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
   67  each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
   68  Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
   69  the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be
   70  reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
   71  paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
   72  purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
   73         4.A minimum of the lesser of 12.5 percent or $100 million
   74  shall be appropriated annually each fiscal year through the
   75  2026-2027 fiscal year to the Department of Environmental
   76  Protection for water supply and water resource development
   77  projects identified in a recovery or prevention strategy or in a
   78  regional water supply plan, and water quality restoration
   79  projects identified in a basin management action plan or in a
   80  reasonable assurance plan, that conserve, replenish, or enhance
   81  surface water or groundwater by raising aquifer levels, reducing
   82  saltwater intrusion or otherwise improving the water quality of
   83  an aquifer, rehydrating wetlands, supplementing ecologically
   84  beneficial surface water flows, reducing or eliminating
   85  pollutant discharges, or providing similar water resource
   86  benefits. This distribution shall be reduced by an amount equal
   87  to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
   88  issued after July 1, 2017, for the purposes set forth in this
   89  subparagraph.
   90         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.

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