Title: Bonds for Everglades Restoration

Summary: Provides funding for City of Key West Area of Critical State Concern; provides for financial assistance agreements between DEP & City of Key West for construction of stormwater management facilities.

Full Text:
An act relating to bonds for Everglades restoration; amending s. 215.619, F.S.; providing for funding for the City of Key West and the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern protection program; providing for financial assistance agreements between the Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Key West for the construction of stormwater management and sewage facilities; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 215.619, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 215.619 Bonds for Everglades restoration.-(1) The issuance of Everglades re storation bonds to finance or refinance the cost of the acquisition and improvement of land, water areas, and related property interests and resources for the purpose of implementing the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan under s. 373.470, the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Protection Plan under s. 373.4595, the Caloosahatchee River Watershed Protection Plan under s. 373.4595, the St. Lucie River Watershed Protection Plan under s. 373.4595, and the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern protection pr ogram under ss. 380.05 and 380.0552 in order to restore and conserve natural systems through the implementation of water management projects, including wastewater management projects identified in the Keys Wastewater Plan, dated November HB 2013 2007, and submitte dto the Florida House of Representatives on December 4, 2007, is authorized in accordance with s. 11(e), Art. VII of the State Constitution. (a) Everglades restoration bonds, except refunding bonds, may be issued only in fiscal years 2002-2003 through 019-2020 and may not be issued in an amount exceeding $100 million per fiscal year unless: 1. The Department of Environmental Protection has requested additional amounts in order to achieve cost savings or accelerate the purchase of land; or 2. The Leg islature authorizes an additional amount of bonds not to exceed $200 million, and limited to $50 million per fiscal year, specifically for the purpose of funding the City of Key West and the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern protection program. Proceeds from the bonds shall be managed by the Department of Environmental Protection for the purpose of entering into financial assistance agreements with the City of Key West and local governments located in the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concer nto finance or refinance the cost of constructing stormwater management facilities and sewage collection, treatment, and disposal facilities. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.