Fla. Stat. § 403.928 — Florida Code / Title XXIX / Chapter 403 / Part VII / Section 403.928
403.928 Assessment of water resources and conservation lands.
Status: in_force

The Office of Economic and Demographic Research shall conduct an annual assessment of Florida’s water resources and conservation lands.

(1) WATER RESOURCES. — The assessment must include all of the following: (a) Historical and current expenditures and projections of future expenditures by federal, state, regional, and local governments and public and private utilities based upon historical trends and ongoing projects or initiatives associated with: 1. Water supply and demand; and 2. Water quality protection and restoration. (b) An analysis and estimates of future expenditures by federal, state, regional, and local governments and public and private utilities necessary to comply with federal and state laws and regulations governing subparagraphs (a)1. and 2. The analysis and estimates must address future expenditures by federal, state, regional, and local governments and all public and private utilities necessary to achieve the Legislature’s intent that sufficient water be available for all existing and future reasonable-beneficial uses and the natural systems, and that adverse effects of competition for water supplies be avoided. The assessment must include a compilation of projected water supply and demand data developed by each water management district pursuant to ss. 373.036 and 373.709, with notations regarding any significant differences between the methods used by the districts to calculate the data. (c) Forecasts of federal, state, regional, and local government revenues dedicated in current law for the purposes specified in subparagraphs (a)1. and 2. or that have been historically allocated for these purposes, as well as public and private utility revenues. (d) An identification of gaps between projected revenues and projected and estimated expenditures. (e) Beginning with the assessment due January 1, 2022, an analysis of the expenditures necessary to repair, replace, and expand water-related infrastructure. As part of this analysis, the office shall periodically survey public and private utilities.

(2) CONSERVATION LANDS. — The assessment must include all of the following: (a) Historical and current expenditures and projections of future expenditures by federal, state, regional, and local governments based upon historical trends and ongoing projects or initiatives associated with real property interests eligible for funding under s. 259.105. (b) An analysis and estimates of future expenditures by federal, state, regional, and local governments necessary to purchase lands identified in plans set forth by state agencies or water management districts. (c) An analysis of the ad valorem tax impacts, by county, resulting from public ownership of conservation lands. (d) Forecasts of federal, state, regional, and local government revenues dedicated in current law to maintain conservation lands and the gap between projected expenditures and revenues. (e) The total percentage of Florida real property that is publicly owned for conservation purposes. (f) A comparison of the cost of acquiring and maintaining conservation lands under fee simple or less than fee simple ownership.

(3) ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS. — The assessment must: (a) Include analyses on a statewide, regional, or geographic basis, as appropriate, and identify analytical challenges in assessing information across the different regions of the state. (b) Identify any overlap in the expenditures for water resources and conservation lands.

(4) INLAND AND COASTAL FLOOD CONTROL. — Beginning with the assessment due by January 1, 2022, the Office of Economic and Demographic Research shall include in the assessment an analysis of future expenditures by federal, state, regional, and local governments required to achieve the Legislature’s intent of minimizing the adverse economic effects of inland and coastal flooding, thereby decreasing the likelihood of severe dislocations or disruptions in the economy and preserving the value of real and natural assets to the extent economically feasible. To the extent possible, the analysis must evaluate the cost of the resilience efforts necessary to address inland and coastal flooding associated with sea level rise, high tide events, storm surge, flash flooding, stormwater runoff, and increased annual precipitation over a 50-year planning horizon. At such time that dedicated revenues are provided in law for these purposes or that recurring expenditures are made, the analysis must also identify the gap, if any, between the estimated revenues and the projected expenditures.

(5) ASSESSMENT ASSISTANCE. — (a) The water management districts, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, counties, municipalities, and special districts shall provide assistance to the Office of Economic and Demographic Research related to their respective areas of expertise. (b) The Office of Economic and Demographic Research must be given access to any data held by an agency as defined in s. 112.312 if the Office of Economic and Demographic Research considers the data necessary to complete the assessment, including any confidential data.

(6) ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION. — The assessment shall be submitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1, 2017, and by January 1 of each year thereafter.

History: s. 36, ch. 2016-1; s. 3, ch. 2021-28; s. 3, ch. 2021-194.