Fla. Stat. § 403.9332 — Florida Code / Title XXIX / Chapter 403 / Part VII / Section 403.9332
403.9332 Mitigation and enforcement.
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Any area in which 5 percent or more of the trimmed mangrove trees have been trimmed below 6 feet in height, except as provided in s. 403.9326(1)(c), (d), (f), (g), and (h), destroyed, defoliated, or removed as a result of trimming conducted under s. 403.9326 or s. 403.9327 must be restored or mitigated. Restoration must be accomplished by replanting mangroves, in the same location and of the same species as each mangrove destroyed, defoliated, removed, or trimmed, to achieve within 5 years a canopy area equivalent to the area destroyed, removed, defoliated, or trimmed; or mitigation must be accomplished by replanting offsite, in areas suitable for mangrove growth, mangroves to achieve within 5 years a canopy area equivalent to the area destroyed, removed, defoliated, or trimmed. Where all or a portion of the restoration or mitigation is not practicable, as determined by the department or delegated local government, the impacts resulting from the destruction, defoliation, removal, or trimming of the mangroves must be offset by donating a sufficient amount of money to offset the impacts, which must be used for the restoration, enhancement, creation, or preservation of mangrove wetlands within a restoration, enhancement, creation, or preservation project approved by the department or delegated local government; or by purchasing credits from a mitigation bank created under s. 373.4135 at a mitigation ratio of 2-to-1 credits to affected area. The donation must be equivalent to the cost, as verified by the department or delegated local government, of creating mangrove wetlands at a 2-to-1, created versus affected ratio, based on canopy area. The donation may not be less than $4 per square foot of created wetland area. (b) In all cases, the applicant, permittee, landowner, and person performing the trimming are jointly and severally liable for performing restoration under paragraph (a) and for ensuring that the restoration successfully results in a variable mangrove community that can offset the impacts caused by the removal, destruction, or defoliation of mangroves. The applicant, landowner, and person performing the trimming are also jointly and severally subject to penalties. (c) If mangroves are to be trimmed or altered under a permit issued under s. 403.9328, the department or delegated local government may require mitigation. The department or delegated local government shall establish reasonable mitigation requirements that must include, as an option, the use of mitigation banks created under s. 373.4135, where appropriate. The department’s mitigation requirements must ensure that payments received as mitigation are sufficient to offset impacts and are used for mangrove creation, preservation, protection, or enhancement. (d) Any replanting for restoration and mitigation under this subsection must result in at least 80 percent survival of the planted mangroves 1 year after planting. If the survival requirement is not met, additional mangroves must be planted and maintained until 80 percent survival is achieved 1 year after the last mangrove planting.

(2) The department or delegated local government shall enforce the provisions of ss. 403.9321-403.9333 in the same manner and to the same extent provided for in ss. 403.141 and 403.161 for the first violation.

(3) For second and subsequent violations, the department or delegated local government, in addition to the provisions of ss. 403.141 and 403.161, shall impose additional monetary penalties for each mangrove illegally trimmed or altered as follows: (a) Up to $100 for each mangrove illegally trimmed; or (b) Up to $250 for each mangrove illegally altered.

(4) In addition to the penalty provisions provided in subsections (1)-(3), for second and all subsequent violations by a professional mangrove trimmer, the department or delegated local government shall impose a separate penalty upon the professional mangrove trimmer up to $250 for each mangrove illegally trimmed or altered.

(5) This section does not limit or restrict a delegated local government from enforcing penalty, restoration, and mitigation provisions under its local authority.

History: s. 11, ch. 95-299; s. 10, ch. 96-206; s. 3, ch. 2024-144.