Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 452
       
       
        
       By Senator Burton
       
       
       
       
       
       12-00789-24                                            2024452__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund;
    3         providing legislative findings; amending s. 375.041,
    4         F.S.; providing an annual appropriation to the
    5         Department of Environmental Protection to implement
    6         the Heartland Headwaters Protection and Sustainability
    7         Act; requiring that the funds be used and distributed
    8         for specified purposes; providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. The Legislature finds that:
   13         (1)The Legislature unanimously approved CS/CS/HB 573, the
   14  Heartland Headwaters Protection and Sustainability Act, 2017
   15  Regular Session, to protect the headwaters of the Alafia,
   16  Hillsborough, Kissimmee, Ocklawaha, Peace, and Withlacoochee
   17  Rivers located in the Green Swamp and Polk County, which are
   18  some of the most important and vulnerable water resources in
   19  this state.
   20         (2)In the same act, the Legislature declared that it is an
   21  important state interest to partner with regional water supply
   22  authorities and local governments, in accordance with s.
   23  373.705, Florida Statutes, to protect the water resources of the
   24  headwaters of the Alafia, Hillsborough, Kissimmee, Ocklawaha,
   25  Peace, and Withlacoochee Rivers and the surrounding areas.
   26         (3)In 2020, the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI)
   27  Regional Water Supply Plan developed pursuant to s. 373.0465,
   28  Florida Statutes, projected the population of the region to
   29  reach 4.4 million by 2040, which is a 49 percent increase from a
   30  2015 estimate. The total average use of surface water and
   31  groundwater in the CFWI Planning Area is projected to increase
   32  36 percent from 667 million gallons per day in 2015 to 908
   33  million gallons per day in 2040.
   34         (4)The CFWI Regional Water Supply Plan concluded that in
   35  some areas of the CFWI Planning Area, fresh groundwater is near
   36  or has exceeded the limits of groundwater availability and that
   37  alternative water sources will need to be developed along with
   38  additional water conservation efforts and local management
   39  strategies to meet the 2040 projected water demands or to meet
   40  the currently permitted allocations and allow currently stressed
   41  water resources and natural systems to recover.
   42         (5)Consistent funding is required to support the efforts
   43  of the water management districts in protecting the rivers,
   44  springs, and wetlands in the region while providing for
   45  responsible development of these essential water resources that
   46  support growth and provide for public health and safety.
   47         Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
   48  Statutes, is amended to read:
   49         375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
   50         (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
   51  pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
   52         (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service
   53  reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with
   54  respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and
   55  pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations
   56  and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration
   57  bonds issued under s. 215.619; and
   58         (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
   59  under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
   60  pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
   61         1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
   62  shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
   63  implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
   64  forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
   65  Project subject to congressional authorization; the Long-Term
   66  Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
   67  and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
   68  From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
   69  year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
   70  Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
   71  s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
   72  under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
   73  the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
   74  each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
   75  planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
   76  Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
   77  373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project, the
   78  Everglades Agricultural Area Storage Reservoir Project, the Lake
   79  Okeechobee Watershed Project, the C-43 West Basin Storage
   80  Reservoir Project, the Indian River Lagoon-South Project, the
   81  Western Everglades Restoration Project, and the Picayune Strand
   82  Restoration Project. The Department of Environmental Protection
   83  and the South Florida Water Management District shall give
   84  preference to those Everglades restoration projects that reduce
   85  harmful discharges of water from Lake Okeechobee to the St.
   86  Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a timely manner. For the
   87  purpose of performing the calculation provided in this
   88  subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid pursuant to
   89  paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
   90  purposes set forth under this paragraph shall be added to the
   91  amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
   92  (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
   93  reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
   94  paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
   95  purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
   96         2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
   97  shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
   98  protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
   99  performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
  100  amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
  101  issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
  102  paragraph shall be added to the amount remaining after the
  103  payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
  104  distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
  105  to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
  106  issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
  107  subparagraph.
  108         3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
  109  each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
  110  Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
  111  the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be
  112  reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
  113  paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
  114  purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
  115         4. The sum of $64 million is appropriated and shall be
  116  transferred to the Everglades Trust Fund for the 2018-2019
  117  fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, for the EAA
  118  reservoir project pursuant to s. 373.4598. Any funds remaining
  119  in any fiscal year shall be made available only for Phase II of
  120  the C-51 reservoir project or projects identified in
  121  subparagraph 1. and must be used in accordance with laws
  122  relating to such projects. Any funds made available for such
  123  purposes in a fiscal year are in addition to the amount
  124  appropriated under subparagraph 1. This distribution shall be
  125  reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
  126  paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2017, for the
  127  purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
  128         5. The sum of $50 million shall be appropriated annually to
  129  the South Florida Water Management District for the Lake
  130  Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project in accordance with s.
  131  373.4599. This distribution must be reduced by an amount equal
  132  to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
  133  issued after July 1, 2021, for the purposes set forth in this
  134  subparagraph.
  135         6. The sum of $100 million shall be appropriated annually
  136  to the Department of Environmental Protection for the
  137  acquisition of land pursuant to s. 259.105.
  138         7.The sum of $20 million shall be appropriated annually to
  139  the Department of Environmental Protection to implement the
  140  Heartland Headwaters Protection and Sustainability Act pursuant
  141  to chapter 2017-111, Laws of Florida. The funds must be used to
  142  enter into financial assistance agreements and must be
  143  distributed in accordance with the projects identified in the
  144  heartland headwaters annual report submitted to the Legislature
  145  pursuant to s. 373.463 to finance the cost of designing or
  146  constructing projects that protect, restore, or enhance the
  147  headwaters of the river systems located in the Heartland Region
  148  of Central Florida. This distribution must be reduced by an
  149  amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a)
  150  on bonds issued after July 1, 2024, for the purposes set forth
  151  in this subparagraph.
  152         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.