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Senator Alexander moved the following amendment:

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     Senate Amendment (with title amendment)

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     Between lines 2417 and 2418,

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insert:

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     Section 45.  Section 341.3023, Florida Statutes, is created

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to read:

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     341.3023 Commuter rail programs and intercity rail

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transportation system study.--

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     (1) The department shall undertake a comprehensive review

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and study of commuter railroad programs and intercity railroad

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transportation system plans and their impacts in the state

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through 2028.

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     (2) The review and study shall encompass and include

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information concerning:

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     (a) Commuter rail programs and intercity rail

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transportation system facility and improvement needs and plans,

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including those associated with connectivity to such facilities

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and improvements, outlined or contained in, without limitation

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thereto, the current Florida Transportation Plan developed

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pursuant to s. 339.155(1); regional transportation plans

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developed pursuant to s. 339.155(5); the Strategic Intermodal

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System Plan developed pursuant to s. 339.64; the adopted work

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plan developed pursuant to s. 339.135; long-range transportation

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plans developed pursuant to s. 339.175(7); transportation

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improvement plans of relevant metropolitan planning organizations

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developed pursuant to s. 339.175(8); plans, information, and

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studies prepared for or by the authorities created in parts I,

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II, III, and V of chapter 343; relevant studies and information

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previously prepared by the department and the Transportation

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Commission; and the transportation and capital improvement

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elements of relevant approved local government comprehensive

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plans.

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     (b) A detailed review of funding in the state for commuter

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rail programs and intercity rail transportation system

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improvements, projects, facilities, equipment, rights-of-way,

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operating costs, and other costs during the previous 20 years

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from state, federal, and local government sources.

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     (c) An assessment of the impacts of commuter rail programs

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and intercity rail transportation system improvements, projects,

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and facilities that have been undertaken in the state during the

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previous 20 years and their impact on the state, regional, and

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local transportation system and Florida's economic development.

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     (d) Proposed commuter rail programs and intercity rail

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transportation system improvements, projects, and facilities

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throughout the state to be undertaken during the next 20 years,

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including, based upon the best available, existing data, a

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detailed listing of specific projects with estimates of the costs

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of each specific project; projected timelines for such

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improvements, projects, and facilities; and the estimated

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priority of each such improvement, project, and facility.

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     (e) A map of those proposed improvements, projects, and

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facilities.

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     (f) A finance plan based upon reasonable projections of

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anticipated revenues available to the department and units of

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local government, including both 10-year and 20-year cost-

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feasible components, for such improvements, projects, and

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facilities which demonstrates how or what portion of such

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improvements, projects, and facilities can be implemented.

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     (g) A feasibility study of the best alternatives for

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implementing intercity passenger railroad service between the

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Tampa Bay region and the greater Orlando area.

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     (h) A proposed prioritization process, including

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alternatives, for commuter railroad and intercity railroad

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improvements, projects, and facilities.

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     (i) Funding alternatives for commuter rail programs and

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intercity rail transportation system improvements, projects, and

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facilities including specific resources, both public and private,

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which are reasonably expected to be available to accomplish such

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improvements, projects, and facilities and any innovative

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financing techniques that might be used to fund such

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improvements, projects, and facilities.

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     (3) The report shall also include detailed information and

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findings about negative impacts caused by current, or projected

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to be caused by proposed, commuter rail programs and intercity

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rail transportation system projects or freight railroad traffic

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in urban areas of the state. For the purpose of this section,

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"negative impacts" means those caused by noise, vibration, and

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vehicular traffic congestion and delays occurring at rail and

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road intersections. "Urban areas" means those areas within or

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adjacent to a municipality generally characterized by high

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density development and building patterns, greater concentration

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of population, and a high level and concentration of public

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services and facilities. The Orlando commuter railroad project

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means the Central Florida Rail Corridor, a line of railroad

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between Deland and Poinciana. The report shall include, without

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limitation:

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     (a) Options and alternatives for eliminating negative

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impacts associated with increased freight railroad traffic and

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freight railroad congestions within urban areas resulting from

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commuter rail programs or intercity rail transportation system

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improvements, projects, and facilities, including specifically

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those associated with the Orlando commuter railroad project.

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     (b) Proposed freight railroad improvements, projects, and

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facilities to be undertaken in the next 20 years, including those

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associated with the Orlando commuter railroad project, to

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eliminate such negative impacts, including, based upon the best

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available, existing data, a detailed listing of specific projects

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with estimates of the costs of each specific improvement,

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project, and facility; projected timelines for such improvements,

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projects, and facilities; the estimated priority of each such

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improvement, project, and facility; and the benefits to public

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safety, economic development, and downtown development and

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redevelopment from such improvements, projects, and facilities.

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     (c) A map of those proposed improvements, projects, and

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facilities.

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     (d) A finance plan based upon reasonable projections of

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anticipated revenues available to the department and units of

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local government, including both 10-year and 20-year cost-

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feasible components, for such improvements, projects, and

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facilities which demonstrates how or what portion of such

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improvements, projects, and facilities can be implemented, as it

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is the intent of the Legislature and the public policy of the

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state that such negative impacts of commuter rail programs, and

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intercity rail transportation system projects funded by the

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state, including those associated with the Orlando commuter

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railroad project, be eliminated not later than 8 years after

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commuter rail programs and intercity rail transportation system

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projects begin operation.

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     (4) The report containing the information required pursuant

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to subsections (1), (2), and (3) shall be delivered to the

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Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House

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of Representatives, and the leaders of the minority parties of

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the Senate and House of Representatives on or before March 31,

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2009.

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

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And the title is amended as follows:

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     On line 201, after the first semicolon,

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insert:

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creating s. 341.3023, F.S.; requiring the Department of

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Transportation to review and study commuter rail programs

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and intercity rail transportation systems; requiring a

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report to the Governor and the Legislature;

4/29/2008  9:24:00 AM     17-08908-08