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Water:
Protect Florida Springs Task Force

Our Position: support
Bill Number: SB2636/SB1486/HB299
Sponsor: Senator Argenziano, Oelrich, and Rep. Debbie Boyd
Legislative Session: 2007

5/6/07: Overall, Representative Debbie Boyd's final version was a good proposal. She stated following Sine Die, that she would continue to gather all studies and information out there to evaluate what we need to do to really protect our Springs.

4/28/07 Representative Debbie Boyd has shown how open she is to working with all interested parties. She amended her bill by removing the language that would have set up a “non-regulatory approach” to springs protection and modified language to now include water resources vs supply. The bill is improved and the task force created in this bill,  would gather all information available on Florida’s Springs and provide analysis, etc of the needs and conditions of the Springs.

The House Version is now on Third Reading for Monday.

The Senate Version SB1486  was amended in the Senate Community Affairs on Tuesday 4/24 with the changes that Rep.Boyd agreed to, plus the contents of Senator Constantine’s bill.   Here is the bill summary:

Conservation Lands : creates "Florida Springs Stewardship Act"; prescribes duties of DEP, alone & in coordination with other governmental entities, re protection of springs & surrounding lands; provides that all provisions of conservation easement shall survive & remain enforceable after issuance of tax deed; authorizes two or more counties, or combination of at least one county & municipality, to establish tax increment area for said lands, etc. Amends Ch. 369, 704.06. The Senate bill is now in General Government Appropriations Committee and in order for the bill to make it to the Floor, the sponsor Senator Oelrich will need to request it be pulled from any further committee of references and placed on the Floor Calendar.

4/21/07:

HB299 the Springs Protection Act was really amended (weakened) to just a study with major input from agriculture and industry. The next stop is Policy & Budget Council, and could be up this MONDAY 4/23/07. The House is on a two hour notice for committees and posting of bills. Contact members of the Council and tell them to VOTE NO on HB299. We don’t need a bill.

 The Senate Version, SB1486 was up in Senate Community Affairs on 4/18/07. Wednesday, the same day and same time as was SB1202, the Wetlands Delegation from 5 acres or less wetlands bill. So we want to thank Joy Towles Ezell for representing us in the Community Affairs Committee by informing the members we did not support the amendment offered by Senator Harridopolis,  amendment barcode number 554832 which would have made it identical to Representative Boyd’s troubled Springs bill. The amendment was not adopted. There were two additional amendments (one of which was adopted, offered by Senator Geller) that had to do with conservation easements and taxes, that were late filed and not available to the public, only committee members. Everyone, including the legislators were totally confused by the amendments, so the bill was temporarily postponed and will be up again in Community Affairs, 04/24/07.

So, we don’t need a bill at all. So please contact your legislators and tell them to vote this bill down, should it end up on either Floor. 

Here is why we don’t like the House Version.

The House bill will  NOT help springs.

The House bill will limit our ability to conserve springs in the future because it will change the regulations for water quality and make regulations not cost-effective; shut down any springs protections we have generated over the years; shut down the good work done by the Springs Initiative/Task Force where that report is now on the shelves collecting dust; has a task force that is heavy with industry and agriculture interests.

4/14/07: SENATE Bill 1486: On Committee agenda-- Community Affairs, 04/18/07, 2:15 pm, 412-K and HB299 is now House Policy & Budget Council.

3/31/07: Senate Bill 1486 passed out of the Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee 3/29/07.

Senator Nancy Argenziano's bill is much stronger than the other two bills. Read her bill first. SB2636 and then compare them to the other two. She wants comp plans to prevent development near the springs and more.

S2636    GENERAL BILL by Argenziano  

  Florida Springs Protection Act; creates said act; provides legislative
  intent re need to regulate nutrient concentrations in groundwater &
  protect biological & ecological integrity of state's springs; requires
  WMDs having jurisdiction over specified springs, in cooperation with
  Fla. Geological Survey & other authorities, to delineate springheads &
primary protection zones for specified springs; requires delineation be
completed by specified date, etc. Creates 369.401-.413. EFFECTIVE DATE:
  07/01/2007.
  03/02/07 SENATE Filed

Status

5/6/07: HB299 died in Senate Messages. Senate version was still in General Government appropriations.

4/28/07: HB299 and SB1486 are improved. Not identical yet. But no bad issues.

4/21/07: Contact your legislator and tell them we don't need a bill.

4/14/07: HB299 was weakened by the Agriculture industry, it will just be another study and regardless of outcomes everything is voluntary.

3/24/07: bill activity week three:

HB 0299	Relating to Florida Springs Protection Act	Boyd
SC	HOUSE Favorable with 1 Amendment by Conservation & State Lands; 7 Yeas, 0 Nays; Now in Environment & Natural Resources Council

HB 0973	Relating to Protect Fla. Springs License Plate	Boyd
SC	HOUSE Now in Economic Expansion & Infrastructure Council

Action Needed

More information

Here is the description of SB1486 and HB299: they basically want to study the springs some more:

S1486    GENERAL BILL by Oelrich  

  Florida Springs Protection Act [RPCC]; creates specified provisions re
  springs protection; creates Florida Springs Commission; requires DEP &
  WMDs to identify & assess certain springs; requires commission to
  perform certain assessments & recommend strategies for protecting &
  ensuring long-term viability of state's springs; requires model
springs-protection plan; provides dissolution date for commission, etc.
  Creates 369.401,.403,.405.  EFFECTIVE DATE: 07/01/2007.
 

Background

SB2592 Florida Springs License Plate by Senator Argenziano

SB1486 click here to follow the bill thru session.