HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: CS/CS/HB 1417 Funding for Environmental Resource Management
SPONSOR(S): Appropriations Committee, Infrastructure Strategies Committee, Buchanan and others
TIED BILLS: IDEN./SIM. BILLS:
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Infrastructure Strategies Committee 25 Y, 0 N, As CS Gawin Harrington
2) Appropriations Committee 28 Y, 0 N, As CS Byrd Pridgeon
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
The state administers various programs such as the Florida Forever Program and Rural and Family Lands
Protection program to conserve and protect Florida’s natural resources. The state also invests in improving
water quality throughout the state through programs such as the water quality improvement grant program,
which is administered by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). In 2021, the State of Florida
entered into a gaming compact (the 2021 Compact) with the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Seminole Tribe), which
was approved by the United States Department of the Interior. The 2021 Compact establishes a guaranteed
minimum payment period for the first five years of the compact, during which the Seminole Tribe is required to
make specified revenue share payments to the state.
The bill requires the Department of Revenue to, upon receipt, deposit 96 percent of any revenue share
payment received under the 2021 Compact into the Indian Gaming Revenue Clearing Trust Fund within the
Department of Financial Services. The funds must be distributed each fiscal year in the following manner:
 The lesser of 26.042 percent or $100 million to support the Florida Wildlife Corridor (Corridor).
 The lesser of 26.042 percent or $100 million for the management of uplands and removal of invasive
species, divided between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), DEP, and the
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS).
 The lesser of 26.042 percent or $100 million to DEP for the Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise
Resilience Plan; and
 The remainder to DEP for the Water Quality Improvement Grant Program.
The bill also creates the Local Trail Management Grant Program within DEP; authorizes FW C to enter into
voluntary agreements with private landowners for environmental services within the Corridor; revises the
criteria for prioritizing projects within the Water Quality Improvement Grant Program; and requires the Land
Management Uniform Accounting Council to recommend the most efficient and effective use of the funds
available to state agencies for land management activities.
Additionally, the bill provides the following nonrecurring appropriations for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year:
 $32 million to FWC for control of invasive species and upland management;
 $32 million to DACS for land management activities;
 $100 million for land acquisition;
 $150 million to the South Florida Water Management District for operations and maintenance; and
 $220 million to DEP for various programs and a study.
The bill also provides a $2 million recurring appropriation beginning in fiscal year 2024-2025 to the University
of Florida to continually update the Wildlife Corridor plan and the Florida Ecological Greenways Network plan.
The bill will have a negative fiscal impact on the General Revenue Fund, but an offsetting positive fiscal impact
on state environmental programs that receive funding.
This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
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 FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Background
Conservation Lands
Florida Forever Program
The Florida Forever Program is the state’s conservation and recreation lands acquisition program. 1
Since 2001, the state has purchased more than 902,011 acres of land for approximately $3.3 billion.2
Florida Forever supports a wide range of goals, including water resource protection, coastal resiliency,
preservation of cultural resources, public access to outdoor recreation, and the restoration and
maintenance of public lands.3
The Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) is a 10-member body that makes recommendations on
the acquisition, management, and disposal of state-owned lands.4 The Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) provides primary staff to support ARC. ARC is responsible for developing the Florida
Forever priority list, which consists of ranked land acquisition projects that are deemed suitable as
conservation property and meet Florida Forever goals. 5 ARC members determine the priority of lands
based on weighted criteria.6
Anyone can propose a project for consideration for the priority list. To develop the list, ARC accepts
applications from state agencies, local governments, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, private land
trusts, and private individuals for project proposals eligible for Florida Forever funding.7 ARC then
submits the list to the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund (Board) for approval.8
The Board comprises the Governor, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, and Commissioner of
Agriculture. The Florida Forever priority list is used by DEP to prioritize projects with the available
Florida Forever funds allocated annually by the Legislature. To be considered for acquisition, a project
must have a willing seller and be on the list.
Rural and Family Lands Protection Program
The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP) is a land preservation program within the
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) that was created to protect agricultural
lands through the acquisition of permanent agricultural land conservation easements. 9 Through the
RFLPP, DACS, on behalf of the Board, is authorized to allocate money to acquire perpetual, less -than-
fee interests in land, enter into agricultural protection agreements, and enter into resource conservation
agreements.10 To qualify for acquisition, the agricultural land must protect the integrity and function of
working landscapes, ensure opportunities for viable agricultural activities on working lands threatened
by conversion to other uses, and meet certain public purposes.11
Under the RFLPP, lands must be acquired pursuant to a priority ranking process that is similar to the
process for creating the Florida Forever priority list.12 Through the RFLPP, the state has acquired
1 Section 259.105, F.S. Such acquisitions include less -than-fee agreements.
2 Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Florida Forever, https://floridadep.gov/floridaforever (last visited Jan. 26, 2024).
3 See s. 259.105(2)(a), F.S.
4 Section 259.035(3), F.S.
5 Section 259.105(8)-(9), F.S.
6 Section 259.105(10), F.S.
7 Section 259.105(7)(a), F.S.
8 Section 259.04(1)(c), F.S.
9 DACS, Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Protect-Our-Environment/Rural-
and-Family-Lands-Protection-Program (last visited Jan. 26, 2024).
10 Section 570.71(1), F.S.
11 Id.
12 Section 259.105(3)(i)1., F.S.
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 conservation easements for over 69,000 acres of working agricultural land.13 All perpetual easements
acquired under the RFLPP must adhere to best management practices established by DACS.14
Florida Wildlife Corridor
The Florida Wildlife Corridor (Corridor), depicted below,15 is a geographically defined area comprising
over 18 million acres of land, which include 10 million acres of conservation lands and 8 million acres of
opportunity areas that do not have conservation status. 16
In 2021, the Legislature created the Wildlife Corridor Act (Act) to codify the Corridor and recognize that
lands and waters that provide the state’s green infrastructure and vital habitat for wide-ranging wildlife
need to be preserved and protected.17 The purpose of the Act was to create incentives for conservation
and sustainable development while preserving the green infrastructure. 18 The Act, in pertinent part,
directed DEP to promote and encourage various methods of investing in and protecting the Corridor,
including encouraging all agencies that acquire lands to include in their land-buying efforts the
acquisition of sufficient legal interest in opportunity areas to ensure the continued viability of the
Corridor.19 Because there is no land acquisition program specifically for acquiring lands that are located
within the Corridor, initiatives such as the Florida Forever Program and the Rural and Family Lands
Protection Program are used to acquire such lands.
Conservation Land Management
The Board is charged with the management, control, supervision, conservation, and protection of all
lands owned or vested to the state or any of its agencies, departments, boards, or commissions.20 State
lands acquired as part of the Florida Forever Program or other land conservation programs are required
13 DACS, Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Protect-Our-Environment/Rural-
and-Family-Lands-Protection-Program (last visited Jan. 26, 2024).
14 Rule 5I-7.014(3), F.A.C.
15 Florida Wildlife Corridor, FL Wildlife Corridor, available at https://floridawildlifecorridor.org/wp-
content/uploads/2021/08/FLWildlifeCorridor.pdf (last visited Jan. 26, 2024).
16 DEP, Florida Wildlife Corridor, available at https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Florida_Wildlife_Corridor.pdf (last visited Jan.
26, 2024).
17 Chapter 2021-181, L.O.F.
18 Section 259.1055(3), F.S.
19 Section 259.1055(5), F.S.
20 Section 253.03(1), F.S.
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 to be managed to ensure the conservation of the state’s plant and animal species and to ensure the
accessibility of state lands for the benefit and enjoyment of all people of the state, both present and
future.21 Additionally, all such lands are required to be managed in a manner that provides the greatest
combination of benefits to the public and to the natural resources, that provides opportunities for public
outdoor recreation that are compatible with the conservation and protection of public lands, and that
aligns with the purposes for which the lands were acquired.22
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is the lead land management entity for
the state.23 DACS and DEP also manage state lands. During the 2022-2023 fiscal year, FWC managed
over 1,506,852 acres of land, the Florida Forest Service within DACS managed 1,177,078 acres, and
the Division of State Lands and Division of Recreation and Parks within DEP managed 292,619 acres
and 813,586 acres, respectively.24
Land Management Uniform Accounting Council
The Land Management Uniform Accounting Council (LMUAC) implements a uniform method for
compiling and reporting accurate costs of land management activities. 25 LMUAC consists of one
representative each from the Division of State Lands, the Division of Recreation and Parks, the Office
of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas, the Florida Forest Service, FWC, and the Division of Historical
Resources.26 LMUAC releases an annual report that details the accounting of all land management
activities from all the representative agencies and divisions and additional information related to the
land use, resources and funds used for management, and estimated economic benefit to the public for
ecosystem services provided by conservation lands. 27
Invasive Species and Upland Management
Nonnative28 species are animals or plants living in Florida outside captivity or human cultivation that
were not historically present in the state.29 More than 500 fish and wildlife nonnative species have been
documented in Florida, and over 1,180 nonnative plant species have become established outside of
human cultivation.30 Not all nonnative species pose a threat to Florida’s ecology, but some nonnative
species become invasive species by causing harm to native species, posing a threat to human health
and safety, or causing economic damage.31
FWC’s Upland Invasive Exotic Plant Management Program conducts invasive plant removal on public
conservation lands throughout the state.32 Invasive plant removal projects are recommended by a
network of regional invasive plant working groups, which are comprised of local land managers who are
interested in or responsible for maintaining and restoring federal, state, and local government
conservation land. The program identifies areas that need restoration and hires private vegetation
21 Section 253.034(1), F.S.
22 Id.
23 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Terrestrial Habitat Management Plans,
https://myfwc.com/conservation/management-plans/terrestrial/ (last visited Feb. 12, 2024).
24 DEP, 2023 LMUAC Annual Report Fact Sheet, available at
https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/2023%20LMUAC%20Annual%20Report_Factsheet_0.pdf (last visited Feb. 14, 2024).
25 State of Florida, Land Management Uniform Accounting Council 2023 Annual Report (Fiscal Year 2022-23), 1, available at
https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/2023%20LMUAC%20Annual%20Report_0.pdf (last visited Feb. 14, 2024).
26 Section 259.037(1), F.S.
27 Section 259.036, F.S.; See State of Florida, Land Management Uniform Accounting Council 2023 Annual Report (Fiscal Year 2022-
23), 1, available at https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/2023%20LMUAC%20Annual%20Report_0.pdf (last visited Feb. 14,
2024).
28 The terms “nonnative” and “exotic” have the same meaning and are used interchangea bly.
29 FWC, Nonnative Species Information, https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/exotic-information/ (last visited Feb. 14,
2024).
30 Nicole Dodds, Mary Miller, and Alexa Lamm, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Floridians’
Perceptions of Invasive Species, Feb. 2014, p. 1, available at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/WC/WC18600.pdf (last visited Feb. 14,
2024).
31 FWC, Florida’s Nonnative Fish and Wildlife, https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/ (last visited Feb. 14, 2024).
32 FWC, Upland Plant Management, https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/habitat/invasive-plants/upland-plant/ (last visited Feb. 14,
2024); s. 369.252, F.S.
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 management contractors to do the removal.33 The Upland Invasive Plant Management Program has
conducted 2,000 invasive plant control operations targeting 2.7 million acres and has assisted land
managers on 700 federal, state, and county-managed natural areas that comprise over 10 million
acres, or 90 percent of public conservation land in the state. 34
The Florida Greenways and Trails System
The Florida Greenways and Trails System (FGTS) is made up of existing planned and conceptual
nonmotorized trails and ecological greenways that form an integrated statewide system. The system
includes paddling, hiking, biking, multi-use, and equestrian trails. In 1995, the Legislature created the
Florida Greenways Coordinating Council (FGCC), tasking the FGCC with promoting the creation of a
statewide greenways and trails system and designating DEP as the lead agency of the system.35 The
most recent FGTS plan and maps was updated for the 2024-2028 Fiscal Years.36
DEP is authorized to acquire lands, both public and private, to establish and expand a statewide
system of greenways and trails for recreational and conservation purposes, 37 using funds from the
Florida Forever Trust Fund distributed to DEP for acquisition of lands under the Florida Greenways and
Trails Program, and to designate lands as part of the FGTS.38 Since January 2013, 59 projects totaling
over 225,000 acres and 756 trail miles have been designated in the statewide Greenways and Trails
System, including state trails and parks, national forest lands and trails, locally managed greenways
and trails, blueways and many other areas.39
The Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT) within DEP also operates the trail town program. 40 A trail
town is a community located along, or in proximity to, one or more long-distance nonmotorized
recreational trails where users can venture off the main path to enjoy the services and unique heritage
of the nearby community.41 The Department of Commerce estimates the combined economic benefit of
all Florida state trails is $95 million to their host communities. 42 Current trail towns include Dunedin,
Titusville, Malabar, Vilano Beach, Clermont, Palatka, Inverness, Deltona, Everglades City, Winter
Garden, Gainesville, and Debary.43 Signs, stickers, and publicity are provided free of charge to
recognized trail towns.44
The Florida Ecological Greenways Network
The Florida Ecological Greenways Network (FEGN) created by the University of Florida Center for
Landscape Conservation Planning is a statewide database that identifies and prioritizes a functionally
connected statewide ecological network of public and private conservation lands. 45 The FEGN provides
guidance to the OGT ecolo