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CS/CS/HB 1565 — Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative
by Infrastructure Strategies Committee; Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee; and Rep. Grant and others (CS/SB 1360 by Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government and Senator Gruters)
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Environment and Natural Resources Committee (EN)
The bill amends s. 379.2273, F.S., to:
- Remove the expiration date for the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative of June 30, 2025.
- Direct the initiative to develop field trials for red tide mitigation approaches and technologies.
Specifically, the bill provides that upon successful completion of science-based laboratory testing of prevention, control, and mitigation technologies and approaches, the initiative must develop recommendations for field trial deployment technologies of the technologies and approaches in state waters. The initiative must submit a report with its findings and recommendations to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and other state agencies with regulatory oversight of field trial deployment of the technologies and approaches in state waters. DEP must evaluate the technologies and approaches and identify all existing state permits the Mote Marine Laboratory (Mote) may use to deploy and test the technologies and approaches in state waters. DEP must submit its evaluation to Mote within 60 days after receipt of the report. If DEP determines existing state permits may not be used, DEP must amend its regulatory or permitting processes to ensure the timely deployment if any red tide or similar harmful algal bloom mitigation and control technologies and approaches recommended by the initiative. Upon successful testing of the technologies and approaches, DEP must expedite regulatory reviews for the recurring use of the technologies and approaches in state waters to control and mitigate the impacts of red tide or similar harmful algal blooms.
If approved by the Governor, or allowed to become law without the Governor’s signature, these provisions take effect July 1, 2024.
Vote: Senate 40-0; House 114-0