Florida Senate - 2023                              CS for SB 724
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources; and
       Senator Boyd
       
       
       
       
       592-02541-23                                           2023724c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Seagrass Restoration Technology
    3         Development Initiative; creating s. 403.93344, F.S.;
    4         providing legislative intent; defining terms;
    5         establishing the Seagrass Restoration Technology
    6         Development Initiative within the Department of
    7         Environmental Protection; providing the purpose and
    8         goal of the initiative; providing for funding;
    9         specifying allowable uses of the funding; requiring
   10         the creation of a 10-year Florida Seagrass Restoration
   11         Plan; requiring the initiative to submit an annual
   12         report by a specified date to the Governor, the
   13         Legislature, the Secretary of Environmental
   14         Protection, and the executive director of the Fish and
   15         Wildlife Conservation Commission; establishing the
   16         Initiative Technology Advisory Council as part of the
   17         initiative; providing for the meetings, membership,
   18         terms of office, and compensation of the advisory
   19         council; providing for the expiration of the
   20         initiative; providing an effective date.
   21          
   22  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   23  
   24         Section 1. Section 403.93344, Florida Statutes, is created
   25  to read:
   26         403.93344Seagrass Restoration Technology Development
   27  Initiative; Initiative Technology Advisory Council.—
   28         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish a
   29  collaborative and coordinated effort among public and private
   30  research entities to develop restoration technologies and
   31  approaches to address the loss of seagrass and the cascading
   32  ecological and economic impacts of that loss to communities in
   33  this state.
   34         (2)As used in this section, the term:
   35         (a)“Department” means the Department of Environmental
   36  Protection.
   37         (b)“Initiative” means the Seagrass Restoration Technology
   38  Development Initiative.
   39         (c)“Program” means the Aquatic Reserve Program within the
   40  department’s Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection.
   41         (3) The Seagrass Restoration Technology Development
   42  Initiative is established within the department as a partnership
   43  between the program, Mote Marine Laboratory, and the University
   44  of Florida.
   45         (a) The purpose of the initiative is to take the lead in
   46  and expedite the development of innovative technologies and
   47  approaches that are critically needed to restore coastal
   48  seagrass ecosystems by building upon research and restoration
   49  efforts in the public and private sectors.
   50         (b) The goal of the initiative is to develop, test, and
   51  implement innovative, effective, and environmentally sustainable
   52  technologies and approaches for restoring coastal seagrass
   53  ecosystems.
   54         (c) The department shall award funds specifically
   55  appropriated by the Legislature for the initiative to Mote
   56  Marine Laboratory, which shall function as the lead
   57  administrative component to achieve the goals of the initiative.
   58         1. Mote Marine Laboratory may, with the concurrence of the
   59  department, use a portion of the awarded funds to facilitate
   60  additional engagement with other pertinent marine science and
   61  technology development organizations in this state and around
   62  the world to pursue applied research and technology for the
   63  successful restoration of seagrass ecosystems.
   64         2. Mote Marine Laboratory may not use more than 5 percent
   65  of its awarded funds for direct annual initiative administration
   66  and coordination costs.
   67         3. The initiative shall leverage state-appropriated funds
   68  with additional funds from private and federal sources.
   69         (d) In collaboration with the program, Mote Marine
   70  Laboratory and the University of Florida shall create a 10-year
   71  Florida Seagrass Restoration Plan to implement tools and
   72  technologies developed under the initiative.
   73         (e)Beginning January 15, 2024, and each January 15
   74  thereafter until its expiration, the initiative shall submit a
   75  report that contains an overview of its accomplishments to date
   76  and priorities for subsequent years to the Governor, the
   77  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
   78  Representatives, the Secretary of Environmental Protection, and
   79  the executive director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
   80  Commission.
   81         (4) The Initiative Technology Advisory Council, an advisory
   82  council as defined in s. 20.03(7), is established as part of the
   83  initiative. The advisory council’s membership must include
   84  marine science, technology development, and natural resource
   85  management representatives from this state’s aquatic preserves,
   86  private organizations, and public or private research
   87  institutions. The council shall meet at least twice annually.
   88         (a) The council shall be co-chaired by the president and
   89  chief executive officer of Mote Marine Laboratory and a
   90  representative from the University of Florida and shall be
   91  composed of the following members:
   92         1. One member from a private commercial enterprise,
   93  appointed by the Governor.
   94         2. One member from a public or private university in this
   95  state, appointed by the President of the Senate.
   96         3. One member from a non-university public or private
   97  marine environmental organization, appointed by the Speaker of
   98  the House of Representatives.
   99         4. One member from the program who has expertise in
  100  seagrass ecosystems, appointed by the Secretary of Environmental
  101  Protection.
  102         5. One member from the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
  103  who has expertise in seagrass, appointed by the executive
  104  director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  105         (b) Council members shall serve staggered 2-year terms and
  106  may be reappointed.
  107         (c) Council members shall serve without compensation, and
  108  each organization represented shall cover all expenses of its
  109  respective representative.
  110         (5) This section expires June 30, 2028.
  111         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.