Florida Senate - 2017 CS for SB 982
By the Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation;
and Senator Mayfield
592-02747-17 2017982c1
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
5 Indian River Lagoon system; requiring the distribution
6 to be reduced by an amount equal to the debt service
7 paid on certain bonds; providing an effective date.
8
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11 Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
12 Statutes, is amended to read:
13 375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
14 (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
15 pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
16 (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service
17 reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with
18 respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and
19 pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations
20 and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration
21 bonds issued under s. 215.619; and
22 (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
23 under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
24 pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
25 1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
26 shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
27 implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
28 forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
29 Project subject to Congressional authorization; the Long-Term
30 Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
31 and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
32 From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
33 year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
34 Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
35 s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
36 under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
37 the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
38 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
39 planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
40 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
41 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project
42 subject to Congressional authorization. The Department of
43 Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management
44 District shall give preference to those Everglades restoration
45 projects that reduce harmful discharges of water from Lake
46 Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a
47 timely manner. For the purpose of performing the calculation
48 provided in this subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid
49 pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016,
50 for the purposes set forth under paragraph (b) shall be added to
51 the amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
52 (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
53 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
54 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
55 purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
56 2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
57 shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
58 protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
59 performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
60 amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
61 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under
62 paragraph (b) shall be added to the amount remaining after the
63 payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
64 distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
65 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
66 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
67 subparagraph.
68 3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
69 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
70 Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
71 the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be
72 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
73 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
74 purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
75 4. The sum of $30 million shall be appropriated annually
76 for projects dedicated to the restoration of the Indian River
77 Lagoon system. From these funds, $15 million shall be
78 distributed to the St. Johns River Water Management District and
79 $15 million shall be distributed to the South Florida Water
80 Management District. Such funds may be used for land management
81 and acquisition and for recreational opportunity and public
82 access improvements connected with the Indian River Lagoon
83 system. These distributions shall be reduced by an amount equal
84 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
85 issued after July 1, 2017, for the purposes set forth in this
86 subparagraph.
87 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.