The Florida Senate

341.828  Permitting.--

(1)  The authority, for the purposes of permitting, may utilize one or more permitting processes provided for in statute, including, but not limited to, the metropolitan planning organization long-range transportation planning process as defined in s. 339.175(7) and (8), in conjunction with the Department of Transportation's work program process as defined in s. 339.135, or any permitting process now in effect or that may be in effect at the time of permitting and will provide the most timely and cost-effective permitting process.

(2)  The authority shall work in cooperation with metropolitan planning organizations in areas where the high-speed rail system will be located. The metropolitan planning organizations shall cooperate with the authority and include the high-speed rail system alignment within their adopted long-range transportation plans and transportation improvement programs for the purposes of providing public information, consistency with the plans, and receipt of federal and state funds by the authority to support the high-speed rail system.

(3)  For purposes of selecting a route alignment, the authority may use the project development and environment study process, including the efficient transportation decisionmaking system process as adopted by the Department of Transportation.

History.--s. 36, ch. 2002-20; s. 59, ch. 2007-196.