Water Quality Highlights:
Septic-to-Sewer Improvements: The House allocated $200 million and $100 million in the Senate, provides wastewater grant program for projects to construct, upgrade or expand wastewater facilities, to provide advanced wastewater treatment and to convert from septic to sewer, as established in section 403.0673, F.S.
Water Quality Enhancement and Accountability: The House and Senate budgets allocate $10.8 million for provided for increased water quality monitoring, the creation of a water quality public information portal, and for the establishment of the Blue-Green Algae Task Force. Funds may be used for administration and planning costs. The task force will support key funding and restoration initiatives to expedite nutrient reduction in Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. The task force will identify priority projects for funding that are based on scientific data and build upon Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) to provide the largest and most meaningful nutrient reductions in key waterbodies, as well as make recommendations for regulatory changes. The Senate budget specifically allocates $4,000,000 in nonrecurring funds is provided to the Department of Environmental Protection to continue to expand statewide water quality analytics for the nutrient over-enrichment analytics assessment and water quality information portal.
Water Quality Improvement Grant Program:
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The House and Senate allocate $50 million for reductions in harmful discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Estuaries (Everglades)
- The House and Senate allocate $104.9 million and $25 million respectively for improvement projects within the proximity of the Indian River Lagoon.
- The House and Senate allocate $20 million for septic to sewer and wastewater projects, that will improve the water quality of Biscayne Bay.
Total Maximum Daily Loads:
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The House and Senate allocate $50 million and $25 million respectively to DEP for innovative water treatment projects that demonstrate the ability to most rapidly achieve department verified phosphorous and/or nitrogen load reductions consistent with the nutrient load reduction goals and total maximum daily loads established by the department. The department may also provide cost-share funding for innovative nutrient removal projects.
Harmful Algal Blooms: The House and Senate allocate $15.6 million for innovative technologies and short-term solutions for addressing harmful algal blooms in fresh waterbodies; funds may also be used for the red tide emergency grant program and to support local government efforts in cleaning beach and coastal areas. Funds may also be used to implement water quality treatment technologies, identified by the department, near water control structures in Lake Okeechobee.
Springs Restoration: The House and Senate proposed budgets allocate $50 million from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund for land acquisition to protect springs and for capital projects that protect the quality and quantity of water that flow from springs.
Alternative Water Supply: The House allocates $50 million and the Senate allocates $40 million to the water supply and water resource development grant program to help communities plan for and implement conservation, reuse and other water supply and water resource development projects. The House includes language to provide priority funding to regional projects in the areas of greatest need and for projects that provide the greatest benefit. The department shall identify and research all viable alternative water supply resources and provide an assessment of funding needs critical to supporting Florida’s growing economy.
Florida Forever: House $175 million, Senate $75 million
Florida Recreation Development Assistance Grants: House $11.2 million; Senate $10 million.
Beach Management Funding Assistance Program: The House and Senate allocate $50 million provided to the Department of Environmental Protection for distribution to beach and inlet management projects consistent with any component of the comprehensive long-term management plan developed in accordance with section 161.161, Florida Statutes. Funds may be used in accordance with section 161.101, Florida Statutes, for projects on annual ranked lists, storm repair projects, or projects on lands managed by the state. Additionally, both chambers appropriated $106 million for beach erosion recovery projects related to Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, to fully fund DEP’s Hurricanes Ian and Nicole Recovery Plan for Florida’s Beach and Dune Systems.
Hurricane Ian and Nicole Relief: The House and Senate allocate $25 million and $350 million respectively to provide resources to fund gaps in: mitigation of local and county revenue losses and operating deficits; infrastructure repair and replacement, including road, sewer, and water facilities; beach renourishment; and debris removal for hurricane and recovery of Hurricane and Nicole.
Resilient Florida Grant programs: The House and Senate allocate $300 million and $120 million respectively to the allocated Department of Environmental Protection for the Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise Resilience Plan, years one through three, as submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on December 1, 2022, pursuant to section 380.093(5), Florida Statutes. In the event that projects included in the plan are unable to continue or if excess funds are identified by completed projects, the department may reallocate funds to projects on its Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise Resilience Plan to the next project on the ranked list or to projects already funded in year one that have identified funding needs in subsequent years. Additionally, the House and Senate both allocate $20 million for planning grants to fund preconstruction activities.
Mosquito control programs: The House and Senate proposed budgets allocate approximately $2.7 million.
Piney Point - The House and Senate allocate $85 million appropriated to the department of Environmental protection to continue the stabilization, water treatment, and closure of the Piney Point facility.
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