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Item L7BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: January 20, 2016 Bulk Item: Yes XX No Division: Commissioner Neugent Staff Contact: Terri Colonna — x4512 AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of a resolution expressing the support of the Monroe County BOCC for Florida SB 1168/HB 989 which dedicates State funding for Everglades restoration projects from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund (Amendment-1). ITEM BACKGROUND: Senate Bill1168, "Legacy Florida," sponsored by Senator Joe Negron (and identical House Bill 989) proposes to designate 25% or $200M a year, whichever is lower, from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund for Everglades restoration projects for 10 years. The Land Acquisition Trust Fund is the account that holds Amendment 1 funding, which is expected to generate $900M next fiscal year. It is expected to generate $740M this current year. The bill targets money for projects geared toward restoring the flow of water across South Florida, including the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program. The bulk of the money, through fiscal year 2025-2026, would go to plan, design and construct the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. At least $32 million a year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year is proposed go. to the South Florida Water Management District for its long-term water plans. The bill is supported by a number of environmental organizations including the Everglades Foundation and Audubon Florida. Attached is a copy of SB 1168. PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: n/a CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: n/a STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Approval. TOTAL COST: None INDIRECT COST: BUDGETED: COST TO COUNTY: None SOURCE OF FUNDS: REVENUE PRODUCING: No AMOUNT PER MONTH Year APPROVED BY: County Atty OMB/Purchasing Risk Management DOCUMENTATION: Included XX Not Required DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM #(%' Revised 1/09 `' Mayor Pro Tem Neugent RESOLUTION NO. - 2016 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA IN SUPPORT OF FUNDING FOR EVERGLADES RESTORATION PROJECTS FROM THE STATE'S LAND ACQUISITION TRUST FUND, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR 2016 FLORIDA HOUSE BILL 989 AND SENATE BILL 1168 THAT SEEK TO DEDICATE $200 MILLION OR 25% OF THE LAND ACQUISITION TRUST FUND FOR EVERGLADES RESTORATION PROJECTS. WHEREAS, the waters of the Florida Keys are connected to and dependent on the Everglades landscape as the primary source of fresh water that serves as the foundation of the nearshore estuarine environment; and WHEREAS, Monroe County's coast line encompasses Florida Bay, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Everglades National Park; and WHEREAS,. Florida Bay is within the vitally important ecosystem located between the mainland and the Florida Keys, with approximately 20% of Florida Bay within the boundaries of the FKNMS and approximately 80% of Florida Bay within the boundaries of Everglades National Park; and WHEREAS, the ecological health of the coastal and marine resources of Monroe County is inextricably linked to that of Florida Bay and Everglades National Park;. and WHEREAS, Florida Bay comprises a significant portion of the coastal Everglades recreational fishing industry worth $880 million annually and commercial shrimp and stone crab fisheries worth more than $80 million annually; and WHEREAS, the ecosystem of the Florida Keys, including Florida Bay, attracts over 4 million visitors and over $4.5 billion in economic activity annually, generating $192 million in sales tax revenue for the State of Florida each year; and WHEREAS, the health. of Florida Bay is vital to the multi -billion dollar fishing and ecotourism industry of South Florida, including commercial and recreational fishing, snorkeling, diving, boat and equipment rentals, and other related businesses; and WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida recognizes that the restoration of America's Everglades is critical to the long-term sustainability of South Florida's economy, quality of life, and environment; and WHEREAS, these restoration projects are funded by the -federal and state government with goals of restoring wetlands, ecosystems, national parks and wildlife refuges and protecting threatened and endangered species; and Page 1 of 3 Mayor Pro Tem Neugent WHEREAS, lack of freshwater flow, coupled with unseasonably low rainfall over the past year, have led to high salinity in Florida Bay which has contributed to resultant mass seagrass die -offs that may continue to worsen; and WHEREAS, scientists caution that a harmful algal bloom in Florida Bay is possible as a result of the widespread sea grass decomposition that could lead to further habitat loss for a number of species, a disaster from which it would take many years to recover; and WHEREAS, the dire situation in Florida Bay is a symptom of a larger water crisis plaguing Florida whereby northern coastal estuaries are being inundated by Lake Okeechobee discharges while the Everglades National Park and Florida Bay are starved for freshwater due to lack of infrastructure for treatment and storage of water and restoration of flow; and WHEREAS, the fresh water that should contribute to the natural, slow, sheet flow of water through the Everglades to Florida Bay keeping the Bay healthy is instead diverted, upsetting the balance of salinity and creating a poor environment for wildlife and seagrasses; WHEREAS, the capture, storage, treatment, and conveyance of water southward through . the Everglades is critical to restoring and balancing natural water flow, ultimately benefitting the Florida Bay; WHEREAS, projects in the southern Everglades such as those related to the C-1 l 1 canal and CERP "foundational" projects such as the Modified Water Delivery projects most directly impact water flow to, and conditions within, the Florida Bay; and WHEREAS, the urgent salinity issues in the Florida Bay may warrant that these projects be considered among the priorities for the funding appropriated with this legislation; and WHEREAS; this bill will direct funding to restoration projects that address water quality and water quantity throughout the Everglades; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida: 1. The above recitals are hereby incorporated into this resolution as restated herein and constitute the legislative findings and intent of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida. 2. The Board supports an appropriation from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund for the minimum of the lesser of 25% or $200 million for Everglades restoration projects. Page 2 of 3 Mayor Pro Tern Neugent 3. .The Clerk for this Board shall furnish copies of this resolution to Governor Scott, Speaker of the House Steve, Crisafulli, Senate President Andy Gardiner, House Appropriations Chair Richard Corcoran, Senate Appropriations Chair Tom Lee, .House Appropriations Sub -Committee Chair Ben Albritton, Senate Appropriations .Sub -Committee Chair Alan Hays, and the legislative delegation for Monroe County as soon as reasonably possible. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 20`h day of January, 2016. Mayor Heather Carruthers Mayor pro tem George Neugent Commissioner Danny,L. Kolhage Commissioner David Rice Commissioner Sylvia Murphy (SEAL) ATTEST: AMY HEAVILIN, CLERK By: Deputy Clerk BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: -- - Mayor Heather Carruthers Page 3 of 3 ADDITIONAL BACK-UP •SUOTITppe aie pauTTaapun spi oM tsuOT4aTap a-Te a spTM :tmiaoo Z 3o I abed �(Z)Z696'£L£ 's UT pauT39p se ueTd wlay- UOq aqq :uoTjezijogjne Z£ TPUOTSS9.1 Uoo oq oa.gns loa,o-Td bUTUUuld sapeT xaA3 i£ Teaqua3 aqq buTpnTOuT 'OLV'£L£ 's uT ggIO3 qas se ueTd 0£ UOTgUJ OgsaS sapeT JaA3 aATsuaga.z woo aqq 4uawaT iur jeqa s1oa,o:r 6Z sapeT aaA3 io3 ATTenuue paquTidoaddu aq TTegs UOTT1Tw OOZS JO BZ quao-Ta SZ 3o aassaT agq 3o wnwTutw p sasn jaq-4o zo3 pageoTpap LZ ao palpTidoidde aq A2w spun3 ajojaq �nq (e).g e-Teae -Tapun 9Z pa'Tn as squawAud aqq JaJ3e BUTUTeW91.spunj aq-4 30 (.q) SZ Pup -6i9'S1Z 's -Tapu.n panssT spuoq PZ UOTIPJ04S91 saput6aaA3 of joadsaa glTM anp squnowp zaggo pup £Z SUOT-4ebTTgo a-4egaa Aed pup 'sanxasal apTAO:rd '90TAIeS ggap Aed ZZ Pup !8T9'STZ 's japun panssT spuoq aana.aOa epTJOT3 oq goadsaj TZ g4TM aTgeAed squnowp jagio jo 'SUOTgebTTgo agegea 'spun3 aAJ9SaJ OZ aoTAjas ggap pun3 oa jo eoTAias ggap Aed 0l 'IsaT3 (?) 6i :paTTdde aq TTegs 91-TOZ •s oq quensind BT pun3 gsniy uOT4TSTnboV pueq aqq OgUT paangTjISTp spun3 (C) LT -•pun3 Isnil UOTgTSTnboV pueq 160'SL£ 9i :peal_ oq papuawe sT 'segn1pis ST ePTJOT3 'i60'SL£ UOTgoas 30 (£) UOT-4oasgnS 'T UOT.-4OaS 4i £i :epTJOT3 30 agelS aqq 3O aingelsTbaZ aqq Aq pagoeu3 II aS ZL ii 'agep 9ATIoa339 ue 6uTpTAoid pT !AavngsS aagOlegpsOOTeo aql pup Ai engss aTonq -is aqq 6 oq sabjegosTp Tn3u►jeq aonpaj gegj s-qoaCold uT?gsao oq 8 spun3 3o asn aqq UT aouaia3aid e buTPTAoxd :sgoaCojd L uoTgelolsaz sapeT6z9A3 JO3 paapTadoadde aq o-4 pun3 9 gsniy uOTITSTnbOV pueq aqq uiggTM spun3 3o abequeoiad S paT3Toads wnwTuTw e buTlTnbaj :'S'3 'T6O'SL£ 'S b 6UTpuawe :quawpuaule TeUOT:jn-4TgsUO3 UOT-4eAI@SUO0 pueT £ pup aaleM aql 30 uOTleluawaTdwT oq buigeTai qoe UV Z PaTITlua aq Oq T1Tq K 1 89Ti910Z 91-S£60TO-Z£ O-4sTnboeuae pup uoabatq s-TO-4eua.S AS 89TT HS (XdOO pa-4aas-700) 9TOZ - aTEuag tpzsOTd Florida Senate - 2016 32-01093B-16 (Corrected Copy) SB 1168 20161168_ 33 and the.Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program as 34 set forth in s. 373.4595. From these funds, $32 million shall be 35 distributed each fiscal year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year 36 to the South Florida Water Management District for the Long -Term 37 Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 38 million distributed under this paragraph, from the -funds 39 remaining, a minimum of the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 40 million shall be appropriated each fiscal year through the 2025- 41 2026 fiscal year for the planning, design, engineering, and 42 construction of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as 43 set forth in s 373 470, including the Central Everglades 44 Planninct Pro'ect subject to congressional -authorization. The 45 Department of Environmental Protection and the South Florida 46 Water Management District shall give preference to those 47 Everglades restoration projects that reduce harmful discharges 48 of water from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee 49 estuaries in a timely manner Then, te debt serviee en 50 bends 19sued be-€-e-r-e- February i2009 ..h S th F, er: Water 51 Management- 91striet- and the-s-t. Jehns River Water Management 52 n _ _ t _ re t,-whom epe e-ee E tamed ki 53 ferieer 5. 373 . b9, Flerlda Statutes 201- 59 t=e fund debt: reserve funds, r-e6ate eblirgatlens,-er ether- 55 ameunts -payable with a pees d T-h [�� �.,-.,� CO �QG1-��^ '7 . 56 eHpiree 3 1 57 Then, te- distr--i-lae $3 58 59 -as degineET3 - l in 3 4592 (2) m _ Yexpires 60 2024. 61 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016. Page 2 of 2 CODING: Words men are deletions; words underlined are additions.