F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 547 2023
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund;
3 amending s. 375.041, F.S.; providing an appropriation
4 for certain projects related to the Indian River
5 Lagoon Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan;
6 authorizing the Department of Environmental Protection
7 to make grants for such projects; directing the
8 department to submit an annual report to the Governor
9 and Legislature; removing an obsolete provision;
10 providing an effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
15 375.041, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
16 375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
17 (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
18 pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
19 (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
20 under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
21 pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
22 1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
23 shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
24 implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
25 forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
Page 1 of 6
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0547-00
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 547 2023
26 Project subject to congressional authorization; the Long-Term
27 Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
28 and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
29 From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
30 year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
31 Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
32 s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
33 under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
34 the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
35 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
36 planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
37 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
38 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project, the
39 Everglades Agricultural Area Storage Reservoir Project, the Lake
40 Okeechobee Watershed Project, the C-43 West Basin Storage
41 Reservoir Project, the Indian River Lagoon-South Project, the
42 Western Everglades Restoration Project, and the Picayune Strand
43 Restoration Project. The Department of Environmental Protection
44 and the South Florida Water Management District shall give
45 preference to those Everglades restoration projects that reduce
46 harmful discharges of water from Lake Okeechobee to the St.
47 Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a timely manner. For the
48 purpose of performing the calculation provided in this
49 subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid pursuant to
50 paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
Page 2 of 6
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0547-00
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 547 2023
51 purposes set forth under this paragraph shall be added to the
52 amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
53 (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
54 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
55 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
56 purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
57 2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
58 shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
59 protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
60 performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
61 amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
62 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
63 paragraph shall be added to the amount remaining after the
64 payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
65 distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
66 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
67 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
68 subparagraph.
69 3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
70 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
71 Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
72 the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be
73 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
74 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
75 purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
Page 3 of 6
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0547-00
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 547 2023
76 4. The sum of $64 million is appropriated and shall be
77 transferred to the Everglades Trust Fund for the 2018 -2019
78 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, for the EAA
79 reservoir project pursuant to s. 373.4598. Any funds remaining
80 in any fiscal year shall be made available only for Phase II of
81 the C-51 reservoir project or projects identified in
82 subparagraph 1. and must be used in accordance with laws
83 relating to such projects. Any funds made available for such
84 purposes in a fiscal year are in addition to the amount
85 appropriated under subparagraph 1. This distribution shall be
86 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
87 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2017, for the
88 purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
89 5. The sum of $50 million shall be appropriated annually
90 to the South Florida Water Management District for the Lake
91 Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project in accordance with s.
92 373.4599. This distribution must be reduced by an amount equal
93 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
94 issued after July 1, 2021, for the purposes set forth in this
95 subparagraph.
96 6. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
97 shall be appropriated annually each fiscal year for projects
98 dedicated to the conservation and management of the Indian River
99 Lagoon. This distribution shall be reduced by an amount equal to
100 the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued
Page 4 of 6
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0547-00
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 547 2023
101 after July 1, 2023, for the purposes set forth in this
102 subparagraph. The Department of Environmental Protection shall
103 use the funds to make grants for projects that implement the
104 updated Indian River Lagoon Comprehensive Conservation and
105 Management Plan, including multiyear grants for the planning and
106 construction of such projects. The department shall coordinate
107 all such grants with the South Florida Water Management District
108 and the St. Johns River Water Management District. The
109 department, the South Florida Water Management District, and the
110 St. Johns River Water Management District shall coordinate such
111 grants with other water management districts as necessary.
112 Preference shall be given to projects for ecosystem monitorin g
113 and habitat restoration, projects to connect onsite sewage
114 treatment and disposal systems to central sewer systems, and
115 projects for the management of stormwater, freshwater, and
116 agricultural discharges. Grants for sewer system connection
117 projects and discharge management projects shall require a
118 minimum 50 percent local match. Beginning January 1, 2024, and
119 each January 1 thereafter, the department shall submit a report
120 regarding the projects funded pursuant to this subparagraph to
121 the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
122 the House of Representatives Notwithstanding subparagraph 3.,
123 for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, funds shall be appropriated as
124 provided in the General Appropriations Act. This subparagraph
125 expires July 1, 2023.
Page 5 of 6
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0547-00
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
HB 547 2023
126 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
Page 6 of 6
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0547-00
Statutes affected: H 547 Filed: 375.041