HB 1431

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Great Florida Wrek-reation Diving
3	Trail Act; providing a popular name; providing purpose of
4	the act; creating the Florida MARAD and U.S. Navy Vessel
5	Placement Commission; providing membership and
6	organization of the commission; providing duties of the
7	commission; providing for administrative support;
8	providing an effective date.
9
10	WHEREAS, in the past, the United States Navy has used
11	unneeded ships as targets for military exercises known as
12	sinking exercises, and
13	WHEREAS, now the Navy has devised an alternative means of
14	disposing of obsolete Navy vessels that allows the vessels to
15	serve in a productive capacity for hundreds of years past their
16	intended use, and
17	WHEREAS, the National Defense Authorization Bill for fiscal
18	year 2004 (H.R. 1588) allows appropriate decommissioned ships to
19	be donated for use as artificial reefing, and
20	WHEREAS, the process of using obsolete vessels as man-made
21	artificial reefs not only promotes marine life and fishing but
22	relieves pressures on natural coral reefs, and
23	WHEREAS, the measure allows the Navy to accomplish the
24	overall process for cost-effective donation transfer of
25	available naval vessels, and
26	WHEREAS, the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD)
27	will coordinate federal agency solicitation and application for
28	obtaining the vessels for use as artificial reefs, and
29	WHEREAS, the donation and transfer application for all Navy
30	and MARAD ships available for use as artificial reefs may be
31	submitted only by states, commonwealths, and territories and
32	possessions of the United States, or municipal corporations or
33	political subdivisions thereof, and
34	WHEREAS, the program provides a practical option for
35	disposing of inactive naval vessels in a cost-effective and
36	environmentally sound manner that can also promote ecotourism
37	associated with recreational diving and fishing in Florida, NOW,
38	THEREFORE,
39
40	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
41
42	Section 1.  (1)  POPULAR NAME.--This act may be referred to
43	by the popular name the ?Great Florida Wrek-reation Diving Trail
44	Act of 2004.?
45	(2)  PURPOSE.--The purpose of the Great Florida Wrek-
46	Wrek-reation Diving Trail Act is to promote ecotourism
47	associated with recreational diving and fishing in Florida
48	through the placement of United States Maritime Administration
49	(MARAD) and United States Navy decommissioned vessels in Florida
50	waters as artificial reefs. The commission shall be considered
51	the artificial reef coordinator for Florida for purposes of the
52	United States Department of Transportation transfer of obsolete
53	MARAD and Navy vessels program.
54	(3)  FLORIDA MARAD AND U.S. NAVY VESSEL PLACEMENT
55	COMMISSION; CREATION; MEMBERSHIP.--The Florida MARAD and U.S.
56	Navy Vessel Placement Commission is hereby created. The
57	commission shall consist of the following five members:
58	(a)  Three members representing recreational scuba diving
59	in Florida, one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
60	House of Representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the
61	President of the Senate, and one of whom shall be appointed by
62	the Governor.
63	(b)  Two members representing VISIT Florida, appointed by
64	the Governor.
65	(4)  ORGANIZATION.--The Governor shall designate one member
66	of the commission as its chair. Vacancies in the membership of
67	the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the
68	original appointments.
69	(5)  DUTIES.--The commission shall review applications from
70	Florida counties and municipalities for placement of MARAD and
71	U.S. Navy decommissioned vessels in Florida waters as artificial
72	reefs. The commission shall receive donation transfer
73	applications for such vessels and, using the Maritime
74	Administration application evaluation criteria, as amended,
75	shall recommend to the Governor sites within the state for
76	placement of such vessels. The commission shall develop a master
77	site plan for the purposes of maximizing the number and type of
78	vessels for placement in Florida waters. Criteria shall include
79	placement of vessels in a geographically dispersed manner.
80	(6)  ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.--VISIT Florida shall provide
81	administrative support to the commission for all of its
82	activities.
83	Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a
84	law.

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