HB 0611 2003
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the regulation of water production and
3	distribution facilities within the South Florida Water
4	Management District and the St. Johns Water Management
5	District; providing a popular name; requiring an agreement
6	establishing jurisdiction of a single water management
7	district over the implementation of consumptive use
8	permitting pursuant to chapter 373, Florida Statutes;
9	providing an effective date.
10
11	WHEREAS, Orange County operates a water supply system
12	within the geographical limits of the South Florida Water
13	Management District and the St. Johns River Water
14	Management District, and
15	WHEREAS, both the South Florida Water Management
16	District and the St. Johns River Water Management District
17	assert jurisdiction over portions of the county's water
18	supply system, and
19	WHEREAS, both the South Florida Water Management
20	District and the St. Johns River Water Management District
21	require the county to obtain separate consumptive use
22	permits, pursuant to part II of chapter 373, Florida
23	Statutes, and their respective rules promulgated
24	thereunder, for the operation of portions of the county's
25	water supply system, and
26	WHEREAS, Orange County incurs significant additional
27	costs due to the dual permitting programs of the South
28	Florida Water Management District and the St. Johns River
29	Water Management District, and
30	WHEREAS, consolidation of the consumptive use
31	permitting programs as applied to Orange County's water
32	supply system will result in greater operational
33	efficiency and cost savings, and
34	WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Legislature to
35	require the water management districts to enter into an
36	interagency agreement to designate one of the water
37	management districts as the exclusive regulator of the
38	Orange County potable water supply facilities under part
39	II of chapter 373, Florida Statues, NOW, THEREFORE,
40
41	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
42
43	Section 1. This act may be referred to by the popular name
44	"Orange County Consumptive Use Permit Consolidation Act."
45	Section 2. For purposes of consumptive water use
46	permitting pursuant to chapter 373, Florida Statutes, any
47	potable water production and distribution facilities owned or
48	controlled by Orange County are to be regulated by a single
49	water management district. The affected districts shall
50	designate a single affected district by interagency agreement
51	consistent with section 373.046, Florida Statutes, to regulate
52	the potable water supply facilities operated by Orange County
53	exclusively under the rules of the designated district and to
54	issue any permit for consumptive use of water under part II of
55	the Florida Water Resources Act of 1972, as amended, as set
56	forth in sections 373.203-373.250, Florida Statutes. In the
57	event that the affected districts do not enter into such an
58	interagency agreement by June 30, 2003, Orange County may
59	designate a single affected water management district to
60	regulate its facilities until such time as the required
61	interagency agreement is entered.
62	Section 3. This act is not intended to conflict with the
63	exclusive authority of the Water Resources Act to regulate the
64	consumptive use of water as provided in section 373.217, Florida
65	Statutes. In the event that a general law is enacted that has
66	the effect of directing the affected water management districts
67	to enter into an interagency agreement by a date certain
68	designating a single water management district to regulate the
69	Orange County potable water supply facilities, the general law
70	shall control. Until such a comprehensive revision to general
71	law is enacted, this act shall control in the event of a
72	conflict.
73	Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.