Senate Bill sb1078c1

    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SR 1078

    By the Committee on Natural Resources; and Senator Lynn





    312-2277-04

  1                    Senate Resolution No. ____

  2         A resolution supporting the continued inclusion

  3         of a "local sources first" policy in chapter

  4         373, Florida Statutes, and opposing any

  5         amendments to the state's water resource policy

  6         that are inconsistent with the public interest.

  7  

  8         WHEREAS, Florida's water resources are a natural

  9  resource and not a commodity to be sold or transferred to the

10  highest bidder, and

11         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate supports a state "local

12  sources first" policy in state law, and

13         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate recognizes that the

14  continued retention of the local sources first policy is

15  integral to protecting the state's water resources, advancing

16  long-term sustainable water-resource development and supply

17  systems, and preserving the opportunities of local residents

18  to secure and sustain their future prosperity and quality of

19  life through the use and enjoyment of local water resources,

20  and

21         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate supports the fundamental

22  principles of the state's water law which require that a

23  proposed use of water be reasonable and beneficial, not

24  interfere with an existing legal use of water, and be

25  consistent with the public interest, and

26         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate opposes legislation that

27  would fundamentally alter the state's current water-supply

28  allocation practices, and

29         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate opposes legislation that

30  undermines a fundamental principle of water law which

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SR 1078
    312-2277-04




 1  establishes a right of use rather than a right of ownership,

 2  and

 3         WHEREAS, a recent report by the Florida Council of 100

 4  has recommended modifications to chapter 373, Florida

 5  Statutes, to significantly alter provisions that establish a

 6  policy for using local water sources first, and

 7         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate wishes to go on record that

 8  such a proposal could put the state's surface waters and

 9  aquifers at risk of irreparable harm, and

10         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate believes that any

11  discussion of regional water transfer is premature until

12  minimum flows and levels have been established for all of the

13  state's water resources, NOW, THEREFORE,

14  

15  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

16  

17         That the Florida Senate opposes any modifications to

18  the fundamental provisions of chapter 373, Florida Statutes,

19  as they relate to the current "local sources first" policy,

20  and encourages its legislative colleagues and the Governor to

21  join in this opposition.

22  

23          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
24                              s1078

25                                 

26  The Committee Substitute makes no substantial change.

27  

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