HB 1241

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie Rivers
3	Corridor Advisory Council; creating the advisory council;
4	providing a definition; providing for appointment of
5	members, per diem and travel expenses, staff, and duties
6	of the advisory council; exempting staff from pt. II of
7	ch. 110, F.S., relating to the Career Service System;
8	requiring recommendations to the Legislature; requiring a
9	report to the Legislature and Governor by a specific date;
10	providing for expiration of the advisory council;
11	providing an effective date.
12
13	WHEREAS, the hydrologic basins of the Caloosahatchee River
14	and its estuary and the St. Lucie River and its estuary,
15	including Lake Okeechobee, constitute a single, hydrologically
16	related system, and
17	WHEREAS, during climatic periods of high rainfall and
18	tropical storms occurring within this system, the high rates of
19	surface water discharge from Lake Okeechobee have significant
20	adverse impacts on the receiving waters of the Caloosahatchee
21	River and the St. Lucie River ecosystems and their estuaries,
22	and
23	WHEREAS, high concentrations of nutrients and other
24	pollutant-laden discharges that significantly degrade receiving
25	waters have a demonstrable economic effect on the region's very
26	substantial tourist and outdoor recreational economies, as well
27	as the quality of life of the residents of Lee and Martin
28	Counties, and
29	WHEREAS, while the Lake Okeechobee Protection Program
30	provides significant safeguards and strategies for protecting
31	and improving water quality discharges into Lake Okeechobee,
32	there is no comprehensive plan for the Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie
33	Rivers Corridor, NOW, THEREFORE,
34
35	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
36
37	Section 1.  Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie Rivers Corridor
38	Advisory Council; membership; meetings; staff.--
39	(1)  For purposes of this act, the hydrologic basins of the
40	Caloosahatchee River and its estuary and the St. Lucie River and
41	its estuary, including Lake Okeechobee, shall be known as the
42	"Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie Rivers Corridor."
43	(2)  There is created the Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie Rivers
44	Corridor Advisory Council under the Department of Environmental
45	Protection consisting of 17 members who shall be appointed as
46	follows:
47	(a)  The Governor shall appoint:
48	1.  One consumer member.
49	2.  One member with hydrologic experience within the
50	Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie Rivers Corridor and expertise in
51	engineering.
52	3.  One member from the agriculture industry.
53	4.  One member from an environmental group.
54	5.  One member from the business or tourism community in
55	Okeechobee County, Martin County, or Palm Beach County.
56	(b)  The President of the Senate shall appoint:
57	1.  One member representing local government in Lee County.
58	2.  One member with hydrologic experience within the
59	Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie Rivers Corridor and expertise in
60	hydrology.
61	3.  One member from the agriculture industry.
62	4.  One member from an environmental group.
63	5.  One member from the business or tourism community in
64	Lee County or Charlotte County.
65	6.  One member from the Senate.
66	(c)  The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall
67	appoint:
68	1.  One member representing local government in Martin
69	County.
70	2.  One member with hydrologic experience within the
71	Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie Rivers Corridor and expertise in
72	biology.
73	3.  One member from the agriculture industry.
74	4.  One member from an environmental group.
75	5.  One member from the business or tourism community in
76	Hendry County or Glades County.
77	6.  One member from the House of Representatives.
78	(d)  The Governor shall appoint the chair of the advisory
79	council from among its members.
80	(e)  Appointments to the advisory council shall be made no
81	later than 30 days after the effective date of this act.
82	(f)  Each member of the advisory council may receive per
83	diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061, Florida
84	Statutes, while carrying out the business of the advisory
85	council.
86	(g)  The first meeting of the advisory council shall be
87	held no later than 60 days after the effective date of this act.
88	(h)  The records and meetings of the advisory council are
89	subject to the provisions of chapter 119 and s. 286.011, Florida
90	Statutes.
91	(i)  The advisory council shall be staffed by an executive
92	director and other personnel selected and hired by the
93	Department of Environmental Protection who shall be exempt from
94	part II of chapter 110, Florida Statutes, relating to the Career
95	Service System. The Department of Environmental Protection may
96	employ staff and consultants as necessary to assist the advisory
97	council in fulfilling its responsibilities. The South Florida
98	Water Management District and the Department of Environmental
99	Protection shall each appoint a liaison for the respective
100	agency to work directly with the executive director of the
101	advisory council and to provide expertise and assistance to the
102	advisory council.
103	(3)  The duties of the Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie Rivers
104	Corridor Advisory Council are to:
105	(a)  Meet at least five times after August 1, 2006.
106	(b)  Hold a minimum of five public hearings within the
107	Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie Rivers Corridor for the purpose of
108	receiving public comments and information.
109	(c)  Review the operation and management of Lake Okeechobee
110	and the associated discharges from the lake for the purpose of
111	formulating specific recommendations relating to, but not
112	limited to:
113	1.  Scientifically viable, economically feasible projects,
114	programs, and regulations that address or mitigate the impacts
115	of high level discharges from Lake Okeechobee upon the receiving
116	waters of the Caloosahatchee River and the St. Lucie Canal and
117	St. Lucie River and their respective estuaries.
118	2.  Ongoing projects and plans authorized pursuant to the
119	Lake Okeechobee Protection Program and the Comprehensive
120	Everglades Restoration Plan under s. 373.4592, Florida Statutes.
121	3.  Environmentally and economically feasible projects to
122	remove accumulated sedimentation from Lake Okeechobee.
123	4.  Alternative treatment strategies, projects, best
124	management practices, and funding sources to manage more
125	effectively the hydrology of the corridor to minimize adverse
126	ecological effects upon the receiving waters from Lake
127	Okeechobee discharge.
128	5.  Long-term funding for implementation of the projects
129	and programs identified in the report.
130	(4)  The advisory council shall prepare and submit a report
131	and recommendations to the President of the Senate and the
132	Speaker of the House of Representatives prior to the 2007
133	Regular Session of the Legislature for implementation of
134	projects and strategies to mitigate the present effects of high
135	discharges from Lake Okeechobee upon the described basins.
136	(5)  The advisory council shall submit to the Governor, the
137	President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
138	Representatives by March 1, 2007, a report with specific
139	recommendations for implementation by the Legislature and the
140	Governor that will mitigate ecological effects upon the
141	Caloosahatchee-St. Lucie Rivers Corridor and stabilize the
142	effect of high discharges from Lake Okeechobee upon the tourist
143	economy of Southwest and Southeast Florida.
144	(6)  The advisory council shall expire on April 1, 2007.
145	Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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