ENROLLED
       2023 Legislature                            CS for CS for SB 724
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                              2023724er
    1  
    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; requiring the department to implement
   20         seagrass restoration projects, subject to legislative
   21         appropriation, that are procured on a specified basis;
   22         providing for the expiration of the initiative;
   23         providing an appropriation; providing an effective
   24         date.
   25          
   26  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   27  
   28         Section 1. Section 403.93344, Florida Statutes, is created
   29  to read:
   30         403.93344Seagrass Restoration Technology Development
   31  Initiative; Initiative Technology Advisory Council.—
   32         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish a
   33  collaborative and coordinated effort among public and private
   34  research entities to develop restoration technologies and
   35  approaches to address the loss of seagrass and the cascading
   36  ecological and economic impacts of that loss to communities in
   37  this state.
   38         (2)As used in this section, the term:
   39         (a)“Department” means the Department of Environmental
   40  Protection.
   41         (b)“Initiative” means the Seagrass Restoration Technology
   42  Development Initiative.
   43         (c)“Program” means the Aquatic Preserve Program within the
   44  department’s Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection.
   45         (3) The Seagrass Restoration Technology Development
   46  Initiative is established within the department as a partnership
   47  between the program, Mote Marine Laboratory, and the University
   48  of Florida.
   49         (a) The purpose of the initiative is to take the lead in
   50  and expedite the development of cost-efficient innovative
   51  technologies and approaches that are critically needed to
   52  restore coastal seagrass ecosystems by building upon research
   53  and restoration efforts in the public and private sectors.
   54         (b) The goal of the initiative is to develop, test, and
   55  implement innovative, effective, cost-efficient, and
   56  environmentally sustainable technologies and approaches for
   57  restoring coastal seagrass ecosystems.
   58         (c) The department shall award funds specifically
   59  appropriated by the Legislature for the initiative to Mote
   60  Marine Laboratory, which shall function as the lead
   61  administrative component to achieve the goals of the initiative.
   62         1. Mote Marine Laboratory may, with the concurrence of the
   63  department, use a portion of the awarded funds to facilitate
   64  additional engagement with other pertinent marine science and
   65  technology development organizations in this state and around
   66  the world to pursue applied research and technology for the
   67  successful restoration of seagrass ecosystems.
   68         2. Mote Marine Laboratory may not use more than 5 percent
   69  of its awarded funds for direct annual initiative administration
   70  and coordination costs.
   71         3. The initiative shall leverage state-appropriated funds
   72  with additional funds from private and federal sources.
   73         (d) In collaboration with the program, Mote Marine
   74  Laboratory and the University of Florida shall create a 10-year
   75  Florida Seagrass Restoration Plan to implement tools and
   76  technologies developed under the initiative.
   77         (e)Beginning January 15, 2024, and each January 15
   78  thereafter until its expiration, the initiative shall submit a
   79  report that contains an overview of its accomplishments to date
   80  and priorities for subsequent years to the Governor, the
   81  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
   82  Representatives, the Secretary of Environmental Protection, and
   83  the executive director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
   84  Commission.
   85         (4) The Initiative Technology Advisory Council, an advisory
   86  council as defined in s. 20.03, is established as part of the
   87  initiative. The advisory council’s membership must include
   88  marine science, technology development, and natural resource
   89  management representatives from this state’s aquatic preserves,
   90  private organizations, and public or private research
   91  institutions. The council shall meet at least twice annually.
   92         (a) The council shall be co-chaired by the president and
   93  chief executive officer of Mote Marine Laboratory and a
   94  representative from the University of Florida and shall be
   95  composed of the following members:
   96         1. One member from a private commercial enterprise,
   97  appointed by the Governor.
   98         2. One member from a public or private university in this
   99  state, appointed by the President of the Senate.
  100         3. One member from a non-university public or private
  101  marine environmental organization, appointed by the Speaker of
  102  the House of Representatives.
  103         4. One member from the program who has expertise in
  104  seagrass ecosystems, appointed by the Secretary of Environmental
  105  Protection.
  106         5. One member from the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
  107  who has expertise in seagrass, appointed by the executive
  108  director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  109         (b) Council members shall serve staggered 2-year terms and
  110  may be reappointed.
  111         (c) Council members shall serve without compensation, and
  112  each organization represented shall cover all expenses of its
  113  respective representative.
  114         (5) Pending the completion of the research conducted
  115  pursuant to this section and any recommendations of the council,
  116  the department shall, subject to legislative appropriation,
  117  implement seagrass restoration projects that are procured on a
  118  payment-for-performance basis to protect the investment made by
  119  this state in seagrass restoration efforts.
  120         (6)This section expires June 30, 2028.
  121         Section 2. Beginning in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, and for
  122  each fiscal year thereafter through the 2027-2028 fiscal year,
  123  the sum of $2 million is appropriated from the General Revenue
  124  Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection for the
  125  purpose of implementing s. 403.93344, Florida Statutes, as
  126  created by this act.
  127         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.