Florida Senate - 2014                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for SB 536
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì850142rÎ850142                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  03/20/2014           .                                
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       (Simpson) recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Use of reclaimed water, stormwater, and excess
    6  surface water.—
    7         (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, in
    8  coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
    9  Services and the five water management districts, shall conduct
   10  a comprehensive study and submit a report on the expansion of
   11  the beneficial use of reclaimed water, stormwater, and excess
   12  surface water in this state.
   13         (2) The report must:
   14         (a) Identify factors that prohibit or complicate the
   15  expansion of the beneficial use of reclaimed water, stormwater,
   16  and excess surface water and recommend how those factors can be
   17  mitigated or eliminated.
   18         (b) Identify measures that would lead to the efficient use
   19  of reclaimed water.
   20         (c) Identify the environmental, engineering, public health,
   21  public perception, and fiscal constraints of such an expansion,
   22  including utility rate structures for reclaimed water.
   23         (d) Identify areas in the state where traditional water
   24  supply sources are limited and the use of reclaimed water,
   25  stormwater, or excess surface water for irrigation or other
   26  purposes is necessary.
   27         (e) Recommend permit incentives, such as extending current
   28  authorizations for long-term consumptive use permits for all
   29  entities that substitute reclaimed water for traditional water
   30  sources that become unavailable or otherwise cost prohibitive.
   31         (f) Determine the feasibility, benefit, and cost estimate
   32  of the infrastructure needed to construct regional storage
   33  features on public or private lands for reclaimed water,
   34  stormwater, and excess surface water, including the collection
   35  and delivery mechanisms for beneficial uses such as agricultural
   36  irrigation, power generation, public water supply, wetland
   37  restoration, groundwater recharge, and waterbody base flow
   38  augmentation.
   39         (3) The departments shall:
   40         (a) Hold two public meetings, at a minimum, to gather input
   41  on the study.
   42         (b) Provide an opportunity for the public to submit written
   43  comments before submitting the report.
   44         (4) The report shall be submitted to the Governor, the
   45  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
   46  Representatives no later than December 1, 2015.
   47         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.
   48  
   49  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   50  And the title is amended as follows:
   51         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   52  and insert:
   53                        A bill to be entitled                      
   54         An act relating to reclaimed water; requiring the
   55         Department of Environmental Protection to conduct a
   56         study in coordination with the Department of
   57         Agriculture and Consumer Services and the water
   58         management districts on the expansion of the
   59         beneficial use of reclaimed water, stormwater, and
   60         excess surface water and to submit a report based upon
   61         such study; providing requirements for the report;
   62         requiring the departments to provide the public an
   63         opportunity for input and for public comment;
   64         requiring that the report be submitted to the Governor
   65         and the Legislature by a specified date; providing an
   66         effective date.