Bill Text: FL S0050 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Nature-based Methods for Improving Coastal Resilience
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-20 - Filed [S0050 Detail]
Download: Florida-2025-S0050-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2025 SB 50 By Senator Garcia 36-00202-25 202550__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to nature-based methods for improving 3 coastal resilience; amending s. 380.0933, F.S.; 4 requiring the Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research 5 and Innovation at the University of South Florida 6 College of Marine Science to develop design guidelines 7 and standards for green and gray infrastructure and 8 models for conceptual designs of green infrastructure 9 and green-gray infrastructure; creating s. 380.0938, 10 F.S.; requiring the Department of Environmental 11 Protection to adopt rules for nature-based methods for 12 coastal resilience; providing requirements for such 13 rules; requiring the department, in consultation with 14 the Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services of 15 the Department of Financial Services, to conduct a 16 statewide feasibility study regarding the value of 17 nature-based methods being used for a specified 18 purpose; requiring the department to submit a report 19 to the Governor and the Legislature by a specified 20 date; providing an effective date. 21 22 WHEREAS, the coastline is a critical state resource that 23 benefits the public interest by providing economic benefits, 24 such as flood control, fishing, recreation, and navigation, and 25 natural habitat and biodiversity functions, such as improved 26 water quality and habitat for endangered and threatened species 27 and other flora and fauna, and 28 WHEREAS, rising sea levels and an increasing frequency of 29 adverse weather events pose a significant risk to people and 30 property along the coastline and threaten the public benefits 31 and functions offered by the coastline, and 32 WHEREAS, as identified in the Miami-Dade Back Bay Coastal 33 Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study, natural infrastructure, 34 including mangrove stands, living seawalls, and other nature 35 based designs, can play an essential role in improving coastal 36 resilience and mitigating harm to this state’s coastlines, and 37 WHEREAS, the Legislature intends to promote state and local 38 efforts to restore mangrove forests along the coastline and 39 further study the impact of other nature-based methods on this 40 state’s coastal resilience and economic development, NOW, 41 THEREFORE, 42 43 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 44 45 Section 1. Present paragraphs (c) through (i) of subsection 46 (2) of section 380.0933, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 47 paragraphs (e) through (k), respectively, and new paragraphs (c) 48 and (d) are added to that subsection, to read: 49 380.0933 Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research and 50 Innovation.— 51 (2) The hub shall, at a minimum: 52 (c) Develop design guidelines and standards for optimal 53 combinations of green and gray infrastructure to address sea 54 level rise and the impact of storm surges. 55 (d) Model the effects, including flood risk reduction and 56 socio-economic benefits, of conceptual designs of green 57 infrastructure and hybrid green-gray infrastructure, and 58 integration of green natural systems into gray infrastructure 59 systems, on this state’s coastal resilience. 60 Section 2. Section 380.0938, Florida Statutes, is created 61 to read: 62 380.0938 Nature-based methods for improving coastal 63 resilience.— 64 (1) The Department of Environmental Protection shall adopt 65 rules governing nature-based methods for improving coastal 66 resilience. The rules must do all of the following: 67 (a) Address significant erosion in areas of critical state 68 concern. 69 (b) Identify ways that new developments can avoid or 70 mitigate their impacts on mangrove stands. 71 (c) Encourage local governmental entities to develop or 72 participate in: 73 1. Mangrove replanting and hydrological restoration 74 programs; and 75 2. Restoration of oyster reefs, salt marshes, and coral 76 reefs. 77 (d) Identify and monitor threats to mangroves. 78 (e) Protect barrier and spoil islands. 79 (f) Assist efforts to improve coastal resilience through 80 the use of green infrastructure, beach renourishment, dune 81 restoration, living seawalls, shoreline and vegetation planting, 82 stormwater planters, permeable pavements, and ecologically sound 83 building materials. 84 (g) Promote public awareness of the value of green 85 infrastructure and statewide education campaigns conducted by 86 local governmental entities. 87 (h) Identify vulnerable public and private properties along 88 the coastline and encourage partnerships with local governmental 89 entities to create local protection and restoration zone 90 programs for implementing the rules developed by the department 91 pursuant to this section. 92 (i) Protect and maintain access to and navigation of the 93 marked channel and the right-of-way of the Florida Intracoastal 94 Waterway as defined in s. 327.02. 95 (j) Create permitting incentives and approvals of, and 96 encourage the use of, new strategies and technologies, such as 97 3D printing, for living shorelines and nature-based features for 98 coastal protection. 99 (k) Assist in the development of workforce training in this 100 state which includes flood and sea level rise research, 101 prediction, and adaptation and mitigation strategies. The 102 department shall provide incentives to local communities that 103 apply for funding through the Workforce Development 104 Capitalization Incentive Grant Program pursuant to s. 1011.801 105 to implement such workforce training. 106 (l) Encourage partnerships with local governmental entities 107 to create projects using green infrastructure for coastal 108 protection through the Resilient Florida Grant Program pursuant 109 to s. 380.093(3)(b)1.d. 110 (m) Develop guidelines for determining when a green 111 infrastructure project is clearly in the public interest under 112 s. 373.414(1)(a). 113 (n) Streamline the permitting process under s. 373.4131 for 114 green infrastructure projects. 115 (o) Streamline permitting after designated storm events or 116 disasters to replace failed coastal infrastructure with green or 117 hybrid green-gray infrastructure that follows established green 118 and green-gray design guidelines. 119 (2) The department, in consultation with the Division of 120 Insurance Agent and Agency Services, shall conduct a statewide 121 feasibility study to determine the value of nature-based methods 122 for coastal flood risk reduction within coastal communities to 123 reduce insurance premiums and improve local governments’ 124 community ratings in the National Flood Insurance Program 125 Community Rating System. The department shall submit a report on 126 the findings of the study to the Governor, the President of the 127 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by July 128 1, 2026. 129 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.