The Florida Senate

341.344  Citizens' Planning and Environmental Advisory Committee.--

(1)  The department shall establish the Citizens' Planning and Environmental Advisory Committee to review the requests for proposals and the applications for franchise and to make recommendations to the department. The Governor shall appoint two members as representatives of environmental organizations, two members as representatives of local general-purpose governments, two members as minority representatives with equal employment opportunity and disadvantaged business enterprise experience, and two members as representatives of the business community of the state. The chair of the committee shall be elected by the members of the committee.

(2)  The committee shall hold periodic meetings at the request of the chair. The Department of Transportation shall provide primary support staff to the committee and ensure that committee meetings are electronically recorded. Such recordings shall be preserved pursuant to chapters 119 and 257.

(3)  Within 3 months after receipt of the notification that the certification application is complete, the committee shall provide the department and each affected agency with its written recommendation on the certification. In making its recommendation, the committee shall consider:

(a)  Whether, and the extent to which, the proposed high-speed rail transportation system will have a favorable or unfavorable impact on the environment and natural resources of the state;

(b)  The extent to which the proposed high-speed rail transportation system will enhance or adversely affect existing communities contiguous to or within the corridor of the proposed high-speed rail transportation system;

(c)  Whether, and the extent to which, the proposed high-speed rail transportation system will comply with the provisions of ss. 341.3201-341.386; and

(d)  The extent to which local governments and the economy of the area within which the high-speed rail transportation system is located will be affected.

(4)  The committee, prior to making its recommendations to the department, shall hold public meetings in the vicinity of the proposed corridors so as to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the applications.

(5)  The report of the committee is admissible as evidence in any certification proceeding or administrative hearing.

History.--s. 20, ch. 84-207; s. 2, ch. 85-65; s. 19, ch. 87-225; s. 33, ch. 90-227; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 38, ch. 92-152; s. 507, ch. 95-148.