Senate Bill 0188

    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 188

    By Senators Mitchell and Thomas





    4-163A-00

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to water; creating the "Safe

  3         Water Act of 2000"; directing the Department of

  4         Environmental Protection to establish a Water

  5         and Wastewater Treatment Grant Program for

  6         local governments; providing standards;

  7         requiring that grant criteria be adopted by

  8         rule; providing funding; providing an effective

  9         date.

10

11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

12

13         Section 1.  This act may be cited as the "Safe Water

14  Act of 2000."

15         Section 2.  (1)  The Department of Environmental

16  Protection, as lead agency, in conjunction with the Department

17  of Community Affairs shall establish a Water and Wastewater

18  Treatment Grant Program for local governments and shall

19  develop a priority list of local governments eligible for

20  grants under the program.  In developing the priority list,

21  the department shall first consider:

22         (a)  Counties having a population of less than 125,000.

23         (b)  Municipalities having a population of less than

24  12,500.

25         (2)  The Department of Environmental Protection shall

26  adopt rules for awarding water and wastewater treatment grants

27  based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

28         (a)  The need for water and wastewater utilities; and

29         (b)  Environmental issues related to septic tanks or

30  the lack of utilities, such as:

31         1.  Public health and safety;

                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 188
    4-163A-00




  1         2.  Lack of local fiscal resources;

  2         3.  Consent orders or other state or federal regulatory

  3  action; and

  4         4.  Coordination or leverage of federal funds.

  5         (3)  Beginning with fiscal year 2000-2001 and until

  6  fiscal year 2010-2011, $100 million shall be annually

  7  deposited into the Water and Wastewater Treatment Grant

  8  Program Trust Fund from the General Revenue Fund for the

  9  purpose of funding the Water and Wastewater Treatment Grant

10  Program established in this section.

11         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.

12

13            *****************************************

14                          SENATE SUMMARY

15    Directs the Department of Environmental Protection in
      conjunction with the Department of Community of Affairs
16    to establish a Water and Wastewater Treatment Grant
      Program for local governments. Requires that criteria for
17    awarding grants be adopted by rule. Provides funding for
      10 years.
18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  2