Florida Senate - 2017 CS for SB 234
By the Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation;
and Senators Bradley, Bean, Gibson, Hutson, and Stewart
592-01944-17 2017234c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund;
3 amending s. 375.041, F.S.; requiring a specified
4 appropriation for certain projects related to the St.
5 Johns River and its tributaries or the Keystone Lake
6 Region; requiring the distribution to be reduced by an
7 amount equal to the debt service paid on certain
8 bonds; providing an effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12 Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
13 Statutes, is amended to read:
14 375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
15 (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
16 pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
17 (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service
18 reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with
19 respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and
20 pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations
21 and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration
22 bonds issued under s. 215.619; and
23 (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
24 under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
25 pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
26 1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
27 shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
28 implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
29 forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
30 Project subject to Congressional authorization; the Long-Term
31 Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
32 and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
33 From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
34 year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
35 Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
36 s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
37 under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
38 the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
39 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
40 planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
41 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
42 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project
43 subject to Congressional authorization. The Department of
44 Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management
45 District shall give preference to those Everglades restoration
46 projects that reduce harmful discharges of water from Lake
47 Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a
48 timely manner. For the purpose of performing the calculation
49 provided in this subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid
50 pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016,
51 for the purposes set forth under paragraph (b) shall be added to
52 the amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
53 (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
54 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
55 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
56 purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
57 2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
58 shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
59 protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
60 performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
61 amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
62 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under
63 paragraph (b) shall be added to the amount remaining after the
64 payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
65 distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
66 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
67 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
68 subparagraph.
69 3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
70 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
71 Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
72 the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be
73 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
74 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
75 purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
76 4. The sum of $35 million shall be appropriated annually to
77 the St. Johns River Water Management District for projects
78 dedicated to the restoration of the St. Johns River and its
79 tributaries or the Keystone Heights Lake Region. Such funds may
80 be used for land management and acquisition and for recreational
81 opportunity and public access improvements connected with these
82 areas. This distribution shall be reduced by an amount equal to
83 the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued
84 after July 1, 2017, for the purposes set forth in this
85 subparagraph.
86 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.