The Florida Senate

288.0655  Rural Infrastructure Fund.--

(1)  There is created within the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development the Rural Infrastructure Fund to facilitate the planning, preparing, and financing of infrastructure projects in rural communities which will encourage job creation, capital investment, and the strengthening and diversification of rural economies by promoting tourism, trade, and economic development.

(2)(a)  Funds appropriated by the Legislature shall be distributed by the office through a grant program that maximizes the use of federal, local, and private resources, including, but not limited to, those available under the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program.

(b)  To facilitate access of rural communities and rural areas of critical economic concern as defined by the Rural Economic Development Initiative to infrastructure funding programs of the Federal Government, such as those offered by the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Commerce, the office may award grants to applicants for such federal programs for up to 30 percent of the total infrastructure project cost. Eligible projects must be related to specific job-creating opportunities. Eligible uses of funds shall include improvements to public infrastructure for industrial or commercial sites and upgrades to or development of public tourism infrastructure. Authorized infrastructure may include the following public or public-private partnership facilities: storm water systems; telecommunications facilities; roads or other remedies to transportation impediments; nature-based tourism facilities; or other physical requirements necessary to facilitate tourism, trade, and economic development activities in the community. Authorized infrastructure may also include publicly owned self-powered nature-based tourism facilities and additions to the distribution facilities of the existing natural gas utility as defined in s. 366.04(3)(c), the existing electric utility as defined in s. 366.02, or the existing water or wastewater utility as defined in s. 367.021(12), or any other existing water or wastewater facility, which owns a gas or electric distribution system or a water or wastewater system in this state where:

1.  A contribution-in-aid of construction is required to serve public or public-private partnership facilities under the tariffs of any natural gas, electric, water, or wastewater utility as defined herein; and

2.  Such utilities as defined herein are willing and able to provide such service.

(c)  To facilitate timely response and induce the location or expansion of specific job creating opportunities, the office may award grants for infrastructure feasibility studies, design and engineering activities, or other infrastructure planning and preparation activities. Authorized grants shall be up to $50,000 for an employment project with a business committed to create at least 100 jobs, up to $150,000 for an employment project with a business committed to create at least 300 jobs, and up to $300,000 for a project in a rural area of critical economic concern. Grants awarded under this paragraph may be used in conjunction with grants awarded under paragraph (b), provided that the total amount of both grants does not exceed 30 percent of the total project cost. In evaluating applications under this paragraph, the office shall consider the extent to which the application seeks to minimize administrative and consultant expenses.

(d)  By September 1, 1999, the office shall pursue execution of a memorandum of agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture under which state funds available through the Rural Infrastructure Fund may be advanced, in excess of the prescribed state share, for a project that has received from the department a preliminary determination of eligibility for federal financial support. State funds in excess of the prescribed state share which are advanced pursuant to this paragraph and the memorandum of agreement shall be reimbursed when funds are awarded under an application for federal funding.

(e)  To enable local governments to access the resources available pursuant to s. 403.973(18), the office may award grants for surveys, feasibility studies, and other activities related to the identification and preclearance review of land which is suitable for preclearance review. Authorized grants under this paragraph shall not exceed $75,000 each, except in the case of a project in a rural area of critical economic concern, in which case the grant shall not exceed $300,000. Any funds awarded under this paragraph must be matched at a level of 50 percent with local funds, except that any funds awarded for a project in a rural area of critical economic concern must be matched at a level of 33 percent with local funds. In evaluating applications under this paragraph, the office shall consider the extent to which the application seeks to minimize administrative and consultant expenses.

(3)  The office, in consultation with Enterprise Florida, Inc., VISIT Florida, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as appropriate, shall review applications and evaluate the economic benefit of the projects and their long-term viability. The office shall have final approval for any grant under this section and must make a grant decision within 30 days of receiving a completed application.

(4)  By September 1, 1999, the office shall, in consultation with the organizations listed in subsection (3), and other organizations, develop guidelines and criteria governing submission of applications for funding, review and evaluation of such applications, and approval of funding under this section. The office shall consider factors including, but not limited to, the project's potential for enhanced job creation or increased capital investment, the demonstration of local public and private commitment, the location of the project in an enterprise zone, the location of the project in a community development corporation service area, the location of the project in a county designated under s. 212.097, the unemployment rate of the surrounding area, and the poverty rate of the community.

(5)  Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301, funds appropriated for the purposes of this section shall not be subject to reversion.

History.--s. 96, ch. 99-251; s. 37, ch. 2000-152.