Florida Senate - 2019                        CS for CS for SB 92
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Appropriations; and Environment and Natural
       Resources; and Senators Book and Mayfield
       
       
       
       
       576-04589-19                                            201992c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the C-51 reservoir project;
    3         amending s. 373.4598, F.S.; revising the portions of
    4         the C-51 reservoir project for which the South Florida
    5         Water Management District may negotiate; revising
    6         water storage and use requirements specified for the
    7         project if state funds are appropriated for the
    8         project; specifying that Phase II of the project may
    9         be funded by appropriation, in addition to other
   10         sources; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of subsection (9)
   15  of section 373.4598, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   16         373.4598 Water storage reservoirs.—
   17         (9) C-51 RESERVOIR PROJECT.—
   18         (c) For Phase II of the C-51 reservoir project, The
   19  district may negotiate with the owners of the C-51 reservoir
   20  project site for the acquisition of any portion of the project
   21  not already committed to utilities for alternative water supply
   22  purposes or to enter into a public-private partnership. The
   23  district may acquire land near the C-51 reservoir through the
   24  purchase or exchange of land that is owned by the district or
   25  the state as necessary to implement Phase II of the project. The
   26  state and the district may consider potential swaps of land that
   27  is owned by the state or the district to achieve an optimal
   28  combination of water quality and water storage. The district may
   29  not exercise eminent domain for the purpose of implementing the
   30  C-51 reservoir project.
   31         (d) If state funds are appropriated for Phase I or Phase II
   32  of the C-51 reservoir project:
   33         1. The district, to the extent practicable, must shall
   34  operate the reservoir project to maximize the reduction of high
   35  volume Lake Okeechobee regulatory releases to the St. Lucie or
   36  Caloosahatchee estuaries, in addition to maximizing the
   37  reduction of harmful discharges providing relief to the Lake
   38  Worth Lagoon. However, the operation of Phase I of the C-51
   39  reservoir project must be in accordance with any operation and
   40  maintenance agreement approved by the district;
   41         2. In addition to any permitted amounts for water supply,
   42  water made available by the reservoir project must shall be used
   43  for natural systems in addition to any allocated amounts for
   44  water supply; and
   45         3. Any Water received from Lake Okeechobee may not be
   46  available to support consumptive use permits only if such use is
   47  in accordance with district rules.
   48         (e) Phase I of the C-51 reservoir project may be funded by
   49  appropriation or through the water storage facility revolving
   50  loan fund as provided in s. 373.475. Phase II of the C-51
   51  reservoir project may be funded by appropriation, pursuant to
   52  this section, pursuant to s. 373.475, as a project component of
   53  CERP, or pursuant to s. 375.041(3)(b)4.
   54         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.