Senate Bill sb1202

    Florida Senate - 2004        (NP)                      SR 1202

    By Senators Cowin, Lawson, Argenziano, Dockery, Constantine,
    Atwater, Siplin, Clary, Fasano, Wise, Smith, Webster, Lynn,
    Peaden, Campbell, Pruitt, Aronberg, Klein, Garcia, Dawson and
    Lee


    20-765B-04

  1                    Senate Resolution No. ____

  2         A resolution recognizing March 31, 2004, as

  3         "Local Water Sources First Day," supporting the

  4         continued inclusion of a "local sources first"

  5         policy in chapter 373, Florida Statutes, and

  6         opposing any amendment to the state's water

  7         resource policy which allows, encourages, or

  8         promotes water transfers.

  9  

10         WHEREAS, Florida's water resources are a natural

11  resource and not a commodity to be sold or transferred to the

12  highest bidder, and

13         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate supports a state "local

14  sources first" policy in state law, and

15         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate recognizes that the

16  continued retention of the local sources first policy is

17  integral to protecting the state's water resources, advancing

18  long-term sustainable water-resource development and supply

19  systems, and preserving the rights and opportunities of local

20  residents to secure and sustain their future prosperity and

21  quality of life through the use and enjoyment of local water

22  resources, and

23         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate supports the fundamental

24  principles of the state's water law which require that a

25  proposed use of water be reasonable and beneficial, not

26  interfere with an existing legal use of water, and be

27  consistent with the public interest, and

28         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate opposes legislation that

29  shifts water-supply allocation from a publicly regulated

30  process to a market-driven process, and

31  

                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2004        (NP)                      SR 1202
    20-765B-04




 1         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate opposes legislation that

 2  undermines a fundamental principle of water law which

 3  establishes a right of use rather than a right of ownership,

 4  and

 5         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate recently learned that the

 6  Florida Council of 100 intends to request a repeal or

 7  modification of chapter 373, Florida Statutes, to eliminate

 8  provisions that establish a policy for using local water

 9  sources first, and

10         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate wishes to go on record that

11  such a proposal is ill-considered and will put the state's

12  surface waters and aquifers at risk of irreparable harm for

13  irresponsible short-term gain by limited special-interest

14  groups, and

15         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate believes that any

16  discussion of regional water transfer, before using local

17  sources or alternatives, is premature until minimum flows and

18  levels have been established for all of the state's water

19  resources, NOW, THEREFORE,

20  

21  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

22  

23         That the Florida Senate recognizes March 31, 2004, as

24  "Local Water Sources First Day," opposes any modification to

25  chapter 373, Florida Statutes, as it relates to the current

26  "local sources first" policy, and encourages its legislative

27  colleagues and the Governor to oppose a change in this policy.

28  

29  

30  

31  

                                  2

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.