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.
