House Bill hb1669e1

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                                          HB 1669, First Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to water management; creating

  3         the Harris Chain of Lakes Restoration Council;

  4         providing for membership, powers, and duties;

  5         providing for a report to the Legislature;

  6         providing for an advisory group to the council;

  7         requiring the St. Johns River Water Management

  8         District to provide staff for the council;

  9         providing for award of contracts subject to an

10         appropriation of funds; providing for a Harris

11         Chain of Lakes restoration program; providing

12         for a demonstration restoration project;

13         providing an effective date.

14  

15         WHEREAS, the waterways of Lake County are of historic,

16  hydrological, and ecological significance, and

17         WHEREAS, most of these Lake County waterways are

18  Outstanding Florida Waterways, and

19         WHEREAS, the Lake County waterways are plagued by toxic

20  algae sedimentation, and excessive growth of aquatic plants,

21  which are degrading their water quality and recreational

22  value, and

23         WHEREAS, despite their current problems, the Lake

24  County waterways continue to provide wildlife habitat for

25  fish, birds, and game and offer recreational opportunities for

26  the residents of Lake County and visitors to the area, and

27         WHEREAS, the renewable economic potential of the Lake

28  County waterways is significant, and

29         WHEREAS, the St. Johns River Water Management District,

30  the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Lake

31  County Water Authority, along with other state, regional, and


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                                          HB 1669, First Engrossed



  1  local entities, have developed proposals to restore portions

  2  of the Harris Chain of Lakes, NOW, THEREFORE,

  3  

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

  5  

  6         Section 1.  The Harris chain of Lakes Restoration

  7  Council.--There is created within the St. Johns River Water

  8  Management District, with assistance from the Fish and

  9  Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Lake County Water

10  Authority, the Harris Chain of Lakes Restoration Council.

11         (1)(a)  The council shall consist of nine voting

12  members, which include: a representative of waterfront

13  property owners, a representative of the sport fishing

14  industry, an environmental engineer, a person with training in

15  biology or another scientific discipline, a person with

16  training as an attorney, a physician, a person with training

17  as an engineer, and two residents of the county who do not

18  meet any of the other qualifications for membership enumerated

19  in this paragraph, each to be appointed by the Lake County

20  legislative delegation. No person serving on the council may

21  be appointed to a council, board, or commission of any council

22  advisory group agency. The council members shall serve as

23  advisors to the governing board of the St. Johns River Water

24  Management District. The council is subject to the provisions

25  of chapters 119 and 120, Florida Statutes.

26         (b)  There shall be an advisory group to the council

27  which shall consist of one representative each from the St.

28  Johns River Water Management District, the Department of

29  Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation,

30  the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Lake County

31  Water Authority, the United States Army Corps of Engineers,


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                                          HB 1669, First Engrossed



  1  and the University of Florida, each of whom shall be appointed

  2  by his or her respective agency, and each of whom, with the

  3  exception of the representatives from the Lake County Water

  4  Authority and the University of Florida, shall have had

  5  training in biology or another scientific discipline.

  6         (2)  Immediately after appointment, the council shall

  7  meet and organize by electing a chair, a vice chair, and a

  8  secretary, whose terms shall be for 2 years each. Council

  9  officers shall not serve consecutive terms. Each council

10  member shall be a voting member.

11         (3)  The council shall meet at the call of its chair,

12  at the request of six of its members, or at the request of the

13  chair of the governing board of the St. Johns River Water

14  Management District.

15         (4)  The council shall have the powers and duties to:

16         (a)  Review audits and all data specifically related to

17  lake restoration techniques and sport fish population recovery

18  strategies, including data and strategies for shoreline

19  restoration, sediment control and removal, exotic species

20  management, floating tussock management or removal,

21  navigation, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat

22  improvement, particularly as they may apply to the Harris

23  Chain of Lakes.

24         (b)  Evaluate whether additional studies are needed.

25         (c)  Explore all possible sources of funding to conduct

26  the restoration activities.

27         (d)  Report to the President of the Senate and the

28  Speaker of the House of Representatives before November 25 of

29  each year on the progress of the Harris Chain of Lakes

30  restoration program and any recommendations for the next

31  fiscal year.


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                                          HB 1669, First Engrossed



  1         (5)  The St. Johns River Water Management District

  2  shall provide staff to assist the council in carrying out the

  3  provisions of this act.

  4         (6)  Members of the council shall receive no

  5  compensation for their services, but are entitled to be

  6  reimbursed for per diem and travel expenses incurred during

  7  execution of their official duties, as provided in section

  8  112.061, Florida Statutes. State and federal agencies shall be

  9  responsible for the per diem and travel expenses of their

10  respective appointees to the council, and the St. Johns River

11  Water Management District shall be responsible for per diem

12  and travel expenses of other appointees to the council.

13         Section 2.  The Harris Chain of Lakes restoration

14  program.--

15         (1)  The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and

16  the St. Johns River Water Management District, in conjunction

17  with the Department of Environmental Protection, pertinent

18  local governments, and the Harris Chain of Lakes Restoration

19  Council, shall review existing restoration proposals to

20  determine which ones are the most environmentally sound and

21  economically feasible methods of improving the fish and

22  wildlife habitat and natural systems of the Harris Chain of

23  Lakes.

24         (2)  To initiate the Harris Chain of Lakes restoration

25  program recommended by the Harris Chain of Lakes Restoration

26  Council, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, with

27  assistance from the St. Johns River Water Management District

28  and in consultation and by agreement with the Department of

29  Environmental Protection and pertinent local governments,

30  shall develop tasks to be undertaken by those entities for the

31  


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                                          HB 1669, First Engrossed



  1  enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat. These agencies

  2  shall:

  3         (a)  Evaluate different methodologies for removing the

  4  extensive tussocks and buildup of organic matter along the

  5  shoreline and of the aquatic vegetation in the lake.

  6         (b)  Conduct any additional studies as recommended by

  7  the Harris Chain of Lakes Restoration Council.

  8         (3)  Contingent on the Legislature's appropriating

  9  funds for the Harris Chain of Lakes restoration program and in

10  conjunction with financial participation by federal, other

11  state, and local governments, the appropriate agencies shall,

12  through competitive bid, award contracts to implement the

13  activities of the Harris Chain of Lakes restoration program.

14         Section 3.  The Fish and Wildlife Conservation

15  Commission is authorized to conduct a demonstration

16  restoration project on the Harris Chain of Lakes for the

17  purpose of creating better habitat for fish and wildlife. 

18         Section 4.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

19  law.

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