Florida Senate - 2020                                     SB 640
       
       
        
       By Senator Harrell
       
       
       
       
       
       25-00849-20                                            2020640__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Indian River Lagoon State
    3         Matching Grant Program; creating s. 373.4594, F.S.;
    4         providing that certain projects identified in a
    5         specified Indian River Lagoon Comprehensive
    6         Conservation and Management Plan are eligible for
    7         state funding consideration; directing the Department
    8         of Environmental Protection to coordinate with the
    9         South Florida Water Management District and the St.
   10         Johns River Water Management District to identify
   11         projects and grant recipients and to submit an annual
   12         report to the Governor, the Legislature, and specified
   13         persons; requiring certain county and municipal
   14         governments to submit annual reports to the department
   15         and appropriate water management districts; providing
   16         an effective date.
   17          
   18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   19  
   20         Section 1. Section 373.4594, Florida Statutes, is created
   21  to read:
   22         373.4594 Indian River Lagoon State Matching Grant Program.—
   23         (1) Projects dedicated to the conservation and management
   24  of the Indian River Lagoon are eligible for state funding
   25  consideration. The department shall use program funds to provide
   26  grants for the following projects identified in the Indian River
   27  Lagoon Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, as
   28  updated in 2008:
   29         (a) The upgrade of existing facilities that provide
   30  advanced waste treatment, as defined in s. 403.086(4).
   31         (b) The expansion of existing wastewater treatment
   32  facilities to bring services to existing homes and businesses
   33  that are not connected to an existing wastewater treatment
   34  facility.
   35         (c) The connection of onsite sewage treatment and disposal
   36  systems to a central sewer system.
   37         (2) Each grant shall require a minimum of a 50 percent
   38  local match.
   39         (3) The department shall coordinate with the South Florida
   40  Water Management District and the St. Johns River Water
   41  Management District to identify eligible projects and grant
   42  recipients for state funding consideration.
   43         (4) Beginning January 1, 2021, and each January 1
   44  thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the
   45  Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
   46  of Representatives, and each state senator and state
   47  representative for the areas in the Indian River Lagoon
   48  Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan regarding the
   49  projects proposed for state funding consideration and the
   50  projects receiving state funding under this section. The report
   51  must include:
   52         (a) The projects identified for state funding
   53  consideration, including, at a minimum:
   54         1. A priority ranking based on the most cost-effective
   55  pollutant reduction projects for each listed project that will
   56  be ready to proceed in the upcoming fiscal year.
   57         2. The estimated cost of each listed project.
   58         3. The estimated completion date of each listed project.
   59         4. The source and amount of financial assistance to be
   60  provided by county or municipal governments, water management
   61  districts, or other entities for each listed project.
   62         (b) The implementation status of each project receiving
   63  state funding under this section.
   64         (5) The county or municipal government shall annually
   65  submit a status report on each project receiving state funding
   66  under this section to the department and to the appropriate
   67  water management district for inclusion in the consolidated
   68  water management district annual report required by s.
   69  373.036(7).
   70         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.