Florida Senate - 2017 SB 234
By Senator Bradley
5-00418C-17 2017234__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the implementation of the water and
3 land conservation constitutional amendment; amending
4 s. 375.041, F.S.; requiring a specified appropriation
5 for certain projects related to the St. Johns River
6 and its tributaries or the Keystone Lake Region;
7 requiring the distribution to be reduced by an amount
8 equal to the debt service paid on certain bonds;
9 providing an effective date.
10
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13 Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
14 Statutes, is amended to read:
15 375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
16 (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
17 pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
18 (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service
19 reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with
20 respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and
21 pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations
22 and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration
23 bonds issued under s. 215.619; and
24 (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
25 under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
26 pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
27 1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
28 shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
29 implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
30 forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
31 Project subject to Congressional authorization; the Long-Term
32 Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
33 and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
34 From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
35 year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
36 Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
37 s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
38 under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
39 the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
40 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
41 planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
42 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
43 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project
44 subject to Congressional authorization. The Department of
45 Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management
46 District shall give preference to those Everglades restoration
47 projects that reduce harmful discharges of water from Lake
48 Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a
49 timely manner. For the purpose of performing the calculation
50 provided in this subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid
51 pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016,
52 for the purposes set forth under paragraph (b) shall be added to
53 the amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
54 (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
55 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
56 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
57 purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
58 2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
59 shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
60 protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
61 performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
62 amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
63 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under
64 paragraph (b) shall be added to the amount remaining after the
65 payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
66 distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
67 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
68 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
69 subparagraph.
70 3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
71 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
72 Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
73 the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be
74 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
75 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
76 purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
77 4. The sum of $35 million shall be appropriated annually to
78 the St. Johns River Water Management District for projects
79 dedicated to the restoration of the St. Johns River and its
80 tributaries or the Keystone Heights Lake Region. Such funds may
81 be used for land management and acquisition and for recreational
82 opportunity and public access improvements connected with these
83 areas. This distribution shall be reduced by an amount equal to
84 the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued
85 after July 1, 2017, for the purposes set forth in this
86 subparagraph.
87 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.