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



                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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  4  ______________________________________________________________

  5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

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10  ______________________________________________________________

11  Representative(s) Harrington and Greenstein offered the

12  following:

13

14         Amendment (with title amendment) 

15         On page 2, line 9

16  remove:  everything after the enacting clause

17

18  and insert:

19         Section 1.  Subsection (2) of section 370.12, Florida

20  Statutes, is amended to read:

21         370.12  Marine animals; regulation.--

22         (2)  PROTECTION OF MANATEES OR SEA COWS.--

23         (a)  This subsection shall be known and may be cited as

24  the "Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act."

25         (b)  The State of Florida is hereby declared to be a

26  refuge and sanctuary for the manatee, the "Florida state

27  marine mammal." The protections extended to and authorized on

28  behalf of the manatee by this act are independent of, and

29  therefore are not contingent upon, its status as a state or

30  federal listed species.

31         (c)  Whenever the Fish and Wildlife Conservation

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  Commission is satisfied that the interest of science will be

  2  subserved, and that the application for a permit to possess a

  3  manatee or sea cow (Trichechus manatus) is for a scientific or

  4  propagational purpose and should be granted, and after

  5  concurrence by the United States Department of the Interior,

  6  the commission may grant to any person making such application

  7  a special permit to possess a manatee or sea cow, which permit

  8  shall specify the exact number which shall be maintained in

  9  captivity.

10         (d)  Except as may be authorized by the terms of a

11  valid state permit issued pursuant to paragraph (c) or by the

12  terms of a valid federal permit, it is unlawful for any person

13  at any time, by any means, or in any manner intentionally or

14  negligently to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb or attempt to

15  molest, harass, or disturb any manatee; injure or harm or

16  attempt to injure or harm any manatee; capture or collect or

17  attempt to capture or collect any manatee; pursue, hunt,

18  wound, or kill or attempt to pursue, hunt, wound, or kill any

19  manatee; or possess, literally or constructively, any manatee

20  or any part of any manatee.

21         (e)  Any gun, net, trap, spear, harpoon, boat of any

22  kind, aircraft, automobile of any kind, other motorized

23  vehicle, chemical, explosive, electrical equipment, scuba or

24  other subaquatic gear, or other instrument, device, or

25  apparatus of any kind or description used in violation of any

26  provision of paragraph (d) may be forfeited upon conviction.

27  The foregoing provisions relating to seizure and forfeiture of

28  vehicles, vessels, equipment, or supplies do not apply when

29  such vehicles, vessels, equipment, or supplies are owned by,

30  or titled in the name of, innocent parties; and such

31  provisions shall not vitiate any valid lien, retain title

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  contract, or chattel mortgage on such vehicles, vessels,

  2  equipment, or supplies if such lien, retain title contract, or

  3  chattel mortgage is property of public record at the time of

  4  the seizure.

  5         (f)1.  Except for emergency rules adopted under s.

  6  120.54, all proposed rules of the commission for which a

  7  notice of intended agency action is filed proposing to govern

  8  the speed and operation of motorboats for purposes of manatee

  9  protection shall be submitted to the counties in which the

10  proposed rules will take effect for review by local rule

11  review committees.

12         2.  No less than 60 days prior to filing a notice of

13  rule development in the Florida Administrative Weekly, as

14  provided in s. 120.54(3)(a), the commission shall notify the

15  counties for which a rule to regulate the speed and operation

16  of motorboats for the protection of manatees is proposed. A

17  county so notified shall establish a rule review committee or

18  several counties may combine rule review committees.

19         3.  The county commission of each county in which a

20  rule to regulate the speed and operation of motorboats for the

21  protection of manatees is proposed shall designate a rule

22  review committee.  The designated voting membership of the

23  rule review committee must be comprised of waterway users,

24  such as fishers, boaters, water skiers, other waterway users,

25  as compared to the number of manatee and other environmental

26  advocates. A county commission may designate an existing

27  advisory group as the rule review committee.  With regard to

28  each committee, fifty percent of the voting members shall be

29  manatee advocates and other environmental advocates, and fifty

30  percent of the voting members shall be waterway users.

31         4.  The county shall invite other state, federal,

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  county, municipal, or local agency representatives to

  2  participate as nonvoting members of the local rule review

  3  committee.

  4         5.  The county shall provide logistical and

  5  administrative staff support to the local rule review

  6  committee and may request technical assistance from commission

  7  staff.

  8         6.  Each local rule review committee shall elect a

  9  chair and recording secretary from among its voting members.

10         7.  Commission staff shall submit the proposed rule and

11  supporting data used to develop the rule to the local rule

12  review committees.

13         8.  The local rule review committees shall have 60 days

14  from the date of receipt of the proposed rule to submit a

15  written report to commission members and staff. The local rule

16  review committees may use supporting data supplied by the

17  commission, as well as public testimony which may be collected

18  by the committee, to develop the written report. The report

19  may contain recommended changes to proposed manatee protection

20  zones or speed zones, including a recommendation that no rule

21  be adopted, if that is the decision of the committee.

22         9.  Prior to filing a notice of proposed rulemaking in

23  the Florida Administrative Weekly as provided in s.

24  120.54(3)(a), the commission staff shall provide a written

25  response to the local rule review committee reports to the

26  appropriate counties, to the commission members, and to the

27  public upon request.

28         10.  In conducting a review of the proposed manatee

29  protection rule, the local rule review committees may address

30  such factors as whether the best available scientific

31  information supports the proposed rule, whether seasonal zones

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  are warranted, and such other factors as may be necessary to

  2  balance manatee protection and public access to and use of the

  3  waters being regulated under the proposed rule.

  4         11.  The written reports submitted by the local rule

  5  review committees shall contain a majority opinion. If the

  6  majority opinion is not unanimous, a minority opinion shall

  7  also be included.

  8         12.  The members of the commission shall fully consider

  9  any timely submitted written report submitted by a local rule

10  review committee prior to authorizing commission staff to move

11  forward with proposed rulemaking and shall fully consider any

12  timely submitted subsequent reports of the committee prior to

13  adoption of a final rule. The written reports of the local

14  rule review committees and the written responses of the

15  commission staff shall be part of the rulemaking record and

16  may be submitted as evidence regarding the committee's

17  recommendations in any proceeding relating to a rule proposed

18  or adopted pursuant to this subsection.

19         13.  The commission is relieved of any obligations

20  regarding the local rule review committee process created in

21  this paragraph if a timely noticed county commission fails to

22  timely designate the required rule review committee.

23         (g)(f)  In order to protect manatees or sea cows from

24  harmful collisions with motorboats or from harassment, the

25  Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is authorized, in

26  addition to all other authority, to provide a permitting

27  agency with comments shall adopt rules under chapter 120

28  regarding the expansion of existing, or the construction of

29  new, marine facilities and mooring or docking slips, by the

30  addition or construction of five or more powerboat slips. The

31  commission shall adopt rules under chapter 120, and regulating

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  the operation and speed of motorboat traffic, only where

  2  manatee sightings are frequent and the best available

  3  scientific information, as well as other available, relevant,

  4  and reliable information, which may include but is not limited

  5  to, manatee surveys, observations, available studies of food

  6  sources, and water depths, supports the conclusions that

  7  manatees it can be generally assumed, based on available

  8  scientific information, that they inhabit these areas on a

  9  regular or continuous basis:

10         1.  In Lee County: the entire Orange River, including

11  the Tice Florida Power and Light Corporation discharge canal

12  and adjoining waters of the Caloosahatchee River within 1 mile

13  of the confluence of the Orange and Caloosahatchee Rivers.

14         2.  In Brevard County: those portions of the Indian

15  River within three-fourths of a mile of the Orlando Utilities

16  Commission Delespine power plant effluent and the Florida

17  Power and Light Frontenac power plant effluents.

18         3.  In Indian River County: the discharge canals of the

19  Vero Beach Municipal Power Plant and connecting waters within

20  1 1/4  miles thereof.

21         4.  In St. Lucie County: the discharge of the Henry D.

22  King Municipal Electric Station and connecting waters within 1

23  mile thereof.

24         5.  In Palm Beach County: the discharges of the Florida

25  Power and Light Riviera Beach power plant and connecting

26  waters within 1 1/2  miles thereof.

27         6.  In Broward County: the discharge canal of the

28  Florida Power and Light Port Everglades power plant and

29  connecting waters within 1 1/2  miles thereof and the

30  discharge canal of the Florida Power and Light Fort Lauderdale

31  power plant and connecting waters within 2 miles thereof. For

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  purposes of ensuring the physical safety of boaters in a

  2  sometimes turbulent area, the area from the easternmost edge

  3  of the authorized navigation project of the intracoastal

  4  waterway east through the Port Everglades Inlet is excluded

  5  from this regulatory zone.

  6         7.  In Citrus County: headwaters of the Crystal River,

  7  commonly referred to as King's Bay, and the Homosassa River.

  8         8.  In Volusia County: Blue Springs Run and connecting

  9  waters of the St. Johns River within 1 mile of the confluence

10  of Blue Springs and the St. Johns River; and Thompson Creek,

11  Strickland Creek, Dodson Creek, and the Tomoka River.

12         9.  In Hillsborough County: that portion of the Alafia

13  River from the main shipping channel in Tampa Bay to U.S.

14  Highway 41.

15         10.  In Sarasota County: the Venice Inlet and

16  connecting waters within 1 mile thereof, including Lyons Bay,

17  Donna Bay, Roberts Bay, and Hatchett Creek, excluding the

18  waters of the intracoastal waterway and the right-of-way

19  bordering the centerline of the intracoastal waterway.

20         11.  In Collier County: within the Port of Islands,

21  within section 9, township 52 south, range 28 east, and

22  certain unsurveyed lands, all east-west canals and the

23  north-south canals to the southerly extent of the intersecting

24  east-west canals which lie southerly of the centerline of U.S.

25  Highway 41.

26         12.  In Manatee County: that portion of the Manatee

27  River east of the west line of section 17, range 19 east,

28  township 34 south; the Braden River south of the north line

29  and east of the west line of section 29, range 18 east,

30  township 34 south; Terra Ceia Bay and River, east of the west

31  line of sections 26 and 35 of range 17 east, township 33

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  south, and east of the west line of section 2, range 17 east,

  2  township 34 south; and Bishop Harbor east of the west line of

  3  section 13, range 17 east, township 33 south.

  4         13.  In Miami-Dade County: those portions of Black

  5  Creek lying south and east of the water control dam, including

  6  all boat basins and connecting canals within 1 mile of the

  7  dam.

  8         (h)(g)  The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

  9  shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 120 regulating the

10  operation and speed of motorboat traffic only where manatee

11  sightings are frequent and the best available scientific

12  information, as well as other available, relevant, and

13  reliable information, which may include but is not limited to,

14  manatee surveys, observations, available studies of food

15  sources, and water depths, supports the conclusion that

16  manatees it can be generally assumed that they inhabit these

17  areas on a regular or continuous basis within that portion of

18  the Indian River between the St. Lucie Inlet in Martin County

19  and the Jupiter Inlet in Palm Beach County and. In addition,

20  the commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 120

21  regulating the operation and speed of motorboat traffic only

22  where manatee sightings are frequent and it can be generally

23  assumed that they inhabit these areas on a regular or

24  continuous basis within the Loxahatchee River in Palm Beach

25  and Martin Counties, including the north and southwest forks

26  thereof. A limited lane or corridor providing for reasonable

27  motorboat speeds may be identified and designated within this

28  area.

29         (i)(h)  The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to

30  chapter 120 regulating the operation and speed of motorboat

31  traffic only where manatee sightings are frequent and the best

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  available scientific information, as well as other available,

  2  relevant, and reliable information, which may include but is

  3  not limited to, manatee surveys, observations, available

  4  studies of food sources, and water depths, supports the

  5  conclusion that manatees it can be generally assumed that they

  6  inhabit these areas on a regular or continuous basis within

  7  the Withlacoochee River and its tributaries in Citrus and Levy

  8  Counties. The specific areas to be regulated include the

  9  Withlacoochee River and the U.S. 19 bridge westward to a line

10  between U.S. Coast Guard markers number 33 and number 34 at

11  the mouth of the river, including all side channels and coves

12  along that portion of the river; Bennets' Creek from its

13  beginning to its confluence with the Withlacoochee River;

14  Bird's Creek from its beginning to its confluence with the

15  Withlacoochee River; and the two dredged canal systems on the

16  north side of the Withlacoochee River southwest of Yankeetown.

17  A limited lane or corridor providing for reasonable motorboat

18  speeds may be identified and designated within this area.

19         (j)(i)  If any new power plant is constructed or other

20  source of warm water discharge is discovered within the state

21  which attracts a concentration of manatees or sea cows, the

22  Fish and Wildlife Conservation commission is directed to adopt

23  rules pursuant to chapter 120 regulating the operation and

24  speed of motorboat traffic within the area of such discharge.

25  Such rules shall designate a zone which is sufficient in size,

26  and which shall remain in effect for a sufficient period of

27  time, to protect the manatees or sea cows.

28         (k)(j)  It is the intent of the Legislature through

29  adoption of this paragraph to allow the Fish and Wildlife

30  Conservation Commission to post and regulate boat speeds only

31  where the best available scientific information, as well as

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  other available, relevant, and reliable information, which may

  2  include but is not limited to, manatee surveys, observations,

  3  available studies of food sources, and water depth, supports

  4  the conclusion that manatees manatee sightings are frequent

  5  and it can be generally assumed that they inhabit these areas

  6  on a periodic regular or continuous basis. It is not the

  7  intent of the Legislature to permit the commission to post and

  8  regulate boat speeds generally throughout the waters of the

  9  state in the above-described inlets, bays, rivers, creeks,

10  thereby unduly interfering with the rights of fishers,

11  boaters, and water skiers using the areas for recreational and

12  commercial purposes. The Legislature further intends that the

13  commission may identify and designate limited lanes or

14  corridors providing for reasonable motorboat speeds within

15  waters of the state whenever such lanes and corridors are

16  consistent with manatee protection may be identified and

17  designated within these areas.

18         (l)(k)  The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to

19  chapter 120 regulating the operation and speed of motorboat

20  traffic all year around within Turkey Creek and its

21  tributaries and within Manatee Cove in Brevard County. The

22  specific areas to be regulated consist of:

23         1.  A body of water which starts at Melbourne-Tillman

24  Drainage District structure MS-1, section 35, township 28

25  south, range 37 east, running east to include all natural

26  waters and tributaries of Turkey Creek, section 26, township

27  28 south, range 37 east, to the confluence of Turkey Creek and

28  the Indian River, section 24, township 28 south, range 37

29  east, including all lagoon waters of the Indian River bordered

30  on the west by Palm Bay Point, the north by Castaway Point,

31  the east by the four immediate spoil islands, and the south by

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  Cape Malabar, thence northward along the shoreline of the

  2  Indian River to Palm Bay Point.

  3         2.  A triangle-shaped body of water forming a cove

  4  (commonly referred to as Manatee Cove) on the east side of the

  5  Banana River, with northern boundaries beginning and running

  6  parallel to the east-west cement bulkhead located 870 feet

  7  south of SR 520 Relief Bridge in Cocoa Beach and with western

  8  boundaries running in line with the City of Cocoa Beach

  9  channel markers 121 and 127 and all waters east of these

10  boundaries in section 34, township 24 south, range 37 east;

11  the center coordinates of this cove are 28°20'14" north,

12  80°35'17" west.

13         (m)(l)  The commission shall promulgate regulations

14  pursuant to chapter 120 relating to the operation and speed of

15  motor boat traffic in port waters with due regard to the

16  safety requirements of such traffic and the navigational

17  hazards related to the movement of commercial vessels.

18         (n)(m)  The commission may designate by rule adopted

19  pursuant to chapter 120 other portions of state waters where

20  manatees are frequently sighted and the best available

21  scientific information, as well as other available, relevant,

22  and reliable information, which may include but is not limited

23  to, manatee surveys, observations, available studies of food

24  sources, and water depths, supports the conclusion that it can

25  be assumed that manatees inhabit such waters periodically or

26  continuously. Upon designation of such waters, the commission

27  shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 120 to regulate

28  motorboat speed and operation which are necessary to protect

29  manatees from harmful collisions with motorboats and from

30  harassment. The commission may adopt rules pursuant to chapter

31  120 to protect manatee habitat, such as seagrass beds, within

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  such waters from destruction by boats or other human activity.

  2  Such rules shall not protect noxious aquatic plants subject to

  3  control under s. 369.20.

  4         (o)(n)  The commission may designate, by rule adopted

  5  pursuant to chapter 120, limited areas as a safe haven for

  6  manatees to rest, feed, reproduce, give birth, or nurse

  7  undisturbed by human activity. Access by motor boat to private

  8  residences, boat houses, and boat docks through these areas by

  9  residents, and their authorized guests, who must cross one of

10  these areas to have water access to their property is

11  permitted when the motorboat is operated at idle speed, no

12  wake.

13         (p)(o)  Except in the marked navigation channel of the

14  Florida Intracoastal Waterway as defined in s. 327.02 and the

15  area within 100 feet of such channel, a local government may

16  regulate, by ordinance, motorboat speed and operation on

17  waters within its jurisdiction where the best available

18  scientific information, as well as other available, relevant,

19  and reliable information, which may include but is not limited

20  to, manatee surveys, observations, available studies of food

21  sources, and water depths, supports the conclusion that

22  manatees inhabit these areas on a regular basis where manatees

23  are frequently sighted and can be generally assumed to inhabit

24  periodically or continuously. However, such an ordinance may

25  not take effect until it has been reviewed and approved by the

26  commission. If the commission and a local government disagree

27  on the provisions of an ordinance, a local manatee protection

28  committee must be formed to review the technical data of the

29  commission and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service,

30  and to resolve conflicts regarding the ordinance. The manatee

31  protection committee must be comprised of:

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1         1.  A representative of the commission;

  2         2.  A representative of the county;

  3         3.  A representative of the United States Fish and

  4  Wildlife Service;

  5         4.  A representative of a local marine-related

  6  business;

  7         5.  A representative of the Save the Manatee Club;

  8         6.  A local fisher;

  9         7.  An affected property owner; and

10         8.  A representative of the Florida Marine Patrol.

11

12  If local and state regulations are established for the same

13  area, the more restrictive regulation shall prevail.

14         (q)(p)  The commission shall evaluate the need for use

15  of fenders to prevent crushing of manatees between vessels

16  (100' or larger) and bulkheads or wharves in counties where

17  manatees have been crushed by such vessels.  For areas in

18  counties where evidence indicates that manatees have been

19  crushed between vessels and bulkheads or wharves, the

20  commission shall:

21         1.  Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 120 requiring use

22  of fenders for construction of future bulkheads or wharves;

23  and

24         2.  Implement a plan and time schedule to require

25  retrofitting of existing bulkheads or wharves consistent with

26  port bulkhead or wharf repair or replacement schedules.

27

28  The fenders shall provide sufficient standoff from the

29  bulkhead or wharf under maximum operational compression to

30  ensure that manatees cannot be crushed between the vessel and

31  the bulkhead or wharf.

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1         (r)(q)  Any violation of a restricted area established

  2  by this subsection, or established by rule pursuant to chapter

  3  120 or ordinance pursuant to this subsection, shall be

  4  considered a violation of the boating laws of this state and

  5  shall be charged on a uniform boating citation as provided in

  6  s. 327.74, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (s). Any

  7  person who refuses to post a bond or accept and sign a uniform

  8  boating citation shall, as provided in s. 327.73(3), be guilty

  9  of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided

10  in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

11         (s)(r)  Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph,

12  any person violating the provisions of this subsection or any

13  rule or ordinance adopted pursuant to this subsection shall be

14  guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable as provided in s.

15  370.021(1)(a) or (b).

16         1.  Any person operating a vessel in excess of a posted

17  speed limit shall be guilty of a civil infraction, punishable

18  as provided in s. 327.73, except as provided in subparagraph

19  2.

20         2.  This paragraph does not apply to persons violating

21  restrictions governing "No Entry" zones or "Motorboat

22  Prohibited" zones, who, if convicted, shall be guilty of a

23  misdemeanor, punishable as provided in s. 370.021(1)(a) or

24  (b), or, if such violation demonstrates blatant or willful

25  action, may be found guilty of harassment as described in

26  paragraph (d).

27         (t)  1.  In order to protect manatees and manatee

28  habitat, the counties identified in the Governor and Cabinet's

29  October 1989 Policy Directive shall develop manatee protection

30  plans consistent with commission criteria based upon "Schedule

31  K" of the directive, and shall submit such protection plans

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  for review and approval by the commission.  Any manatee

  2  protection plans not submitted by July 1, 2004 and any plans

  3  not subsequently approved by the commission shall be addressed

  4  pursuant to subparagraph 2.

  5         2.  No later than January 1, 2005, the Fish and

  6  Wildlife Conservation Commission shall designate any county it

  7  has identified as a substantial risk county for manatee

  8  mortality as a county that must complete a manatee protection

  9  plan by July 1, 2006. The commission is authorized to adopt

10  rules pursuant to s. 120.54 for identifying substantial risk

11  counties and establishing criteria for approval of manatee

12  protection plans for counties so identified.  Manatee

13  protection plans shall include the following elements at a

14  minimum:  education about manatees and manatee habitat; boater

15  education; an assessment of the need for new or revised

16  manatee protection speed zones; local law enforcement; and a

17  boat facility siting plan to address expansion of existing and

18  the development of new marinas, boat ramps, and other

19  multislip boating facilities.

20         3.  Counties required to adopt manatee protection plans

21  under this paragraph shall incorporate the boating facility

22  siting element of those protection plans within their

23  respective comprehensive plans. Counties that have already

24  adopted manatee protection plans, or that adopt manatee

25  protection plans by the effective date of this act, are not

26  subject to the provisions of this paragraph.

27         Section 2.  Subsection (6) is added to section 372.072,

28  Florida Statutes, to read:

29         372.072  Endangered and Threatened Species Act.--

30         (6)  MEASURABLE BIOLOGICAL GOALS.--No later than

31  February 15, 2003, the commission, working in conjunction with

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, shall develop

  2  measurable biological goals that define manatee recovery.

  3  These measurable biological goals shall be used by the

  4  commission in its development of management plans or work

  5  plans. In addition to other criteria, these measurable

  6  biological goals shall be used by the commission when

  7  evaluating existing and proposed protection rules, and in

  8  determining progress in achieving manatee recovery.

  9         Section 3.  Subsection (2) of section 327.41, Florida

10  Statutes, is amended to read:

11         327.41  Uniform waterway regulatory markers.--

12         (2)  Any county or municipality which has been granted

13  a restricted area designation, pursuant to s. 327.46, for a

14  portion of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway within its

15  jurisdiction or which has adopted a restricted area by

16  ordinance pursuant to s. 327.22, s. 327.60, or s. 370.12(2)(p)

17  s. 370.12(2)(o), or any other governmental entity which has

18  legally established a restricted area, may apply to the

19  commission for permission to place regulatory markers within

20  the restricted area.

21         Section 4.  It is the intent of the Legislature that

22  the commission request the necessary funding and staffing

23  through a general revenue budget request to ensure that

24  manatees receive the maximum protection possible. The

25  Legislature recognizes that strong manatee protection depends

26  upon consistently achieving a high degree of compliance with

27  existing and future rules.  The commission shall conduct

28  standardized studies to determine levels of public compliance

29  with manatee protection rules, and shall use the results of

30  the studies, together with other relevant information, to

31  develop and implement strategic law enforcement initiatives

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  and boater education plans.  Drawing upon information obtained

  2  from the compliance studies and the implementation of

  3  enforcement initiatives together with boater education plans,

  4  the commission shall identify any impediments in consistently

  5  achieving high levels of compliance, and adjust their

  6  enforcement and boater education efforts accordingly.

  7         Section 5.  The Legislature intends that the provisions

  8  of this act may not be retroactively applied to manatee

  9  protection rules existing or in the process of being adopted

10  on the effective date of this act unless the Fish and Wildlife

11  Conservation Commission proposes to amend or revise such rules

12  after this act takes effect. Proposed rules that are currently

13  subject to an administrative challenge pending as of February

14  12, 2002, are not subject to the provisions of this act unless

15  a court or administrative hearing officer finds such proposed

16  rule to be invalid and all appeals have been exhausted. Once

17  such rules become final, any revisions or amendments of such

18  rules shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of this

19  act.

20         Section 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

21

22

23  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

24  And the title is amended as follows:

25         On page 1, line 2 thru page 2, line 7

26  remove:  the entire title

27

28  and insert:

29                      A bill to be entitled

30         An act relating to the protection of manatees;

31         amending s. 370.12, F.S.; requiring notice to

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1         counties where manatee protection zones or

  2         manatee speed zones may be imposed by the Fish

  3         and Wildlife Conservation Commission; providing

  4         for establishment of local rule review

  5         committees; providing duties and

  6         responsibilities of the counties, committees,

  7         and commission; providing for committee reports

  8         and recommendations; providing that written

  9         reports submitted to the commission by the

10         committees and Fish and Wildlife Conservation

11         Commission staff responses shall be part of the

12         rulemaking record; clarifying the Fish and

13         Wildlife Conservation Commission's authority to

14         provide comments to permitting agencies

15         relating to the protection of manatees;

16         revising the circumstances under which the

17         commission may post and regulate motorboat

18         speeds to protect manatees; requiring specified

19         counties to develop manatee protection plans

20         that are consistent with specified policy

21         directive; providing the commission with

22         rulemaking authority; amending s. 372.072,

23         F.S.; requiring that the commission develop a

24         measurable biological goal to define manatee

25         recovery; requiring the commission to use the

26         goal in developing management plans and work

27         plans and for determining the progress of

28         manatee recovery; amending s. 327.41, F.S.;

29         conforming a cross-reference; providing

30         legislative intent regarding manatee

31         protection; providing for compliance studies,

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                               Bill No. CS/HB 1473

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1         enforcement initiatives, and boater education

  2         plans; requiring the commission to identify

  3         impediments to high rates of compliance;

  4         providing legislative intent that the

  5         provisions of the act not be retroactively

  6         applied except as otherwise provided; providing

  7         an exemption; providing an effective date.

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