1999 Florida Code
TITLE XXVIII NATURAL RESOURCES; CONSERVATION, RECLAMATION, AND USE
Chapter 373 Water Resources  
PART IV MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE OF SURFACE WATERS (ss. 373.403-373.466)
373.459   Funds for surface water improvement and management.

373.459  Funds for surface water improvement and management.--

(1)  The Ecosystem Management and Restoration Trust Fund shall be used for the deposit of funds appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of ss. 373.451-373.4595. The department shall administer all funds appropriated to or received for surface water improvement and management activities. Expenditure of the moneys shall be limited to the costs of detailed planning for and implementation of programs prepared for priority surface waters. Moneys from the fund shall not be expended for planning for, or construction or expansion of, treatment facilities for domestic or industrial waste disposal.

(2)  The secretary of the department shall authorize the release of money from the fund within 30 days after receipt of a request adopted by the governing board of a water management district or by the executive director when authority has been delegated by the governing board, certifying that the money is needed for detailed planning for or implementation of plans approved pursuant to ss. 373.453, 373.455, and 373.456. A water management district may not receive more than 50 percent of the moneys appropriated to the fund for the purposes of ss. 373.451-373.4595 in any fiscal year unless otherwise provided for by law. Each year after funds are appropriated, each water management district shall receive the amount requested pursuant to s. 373.453(4) or 10 percent of the money appropriated for the purposes of ss. 373.451-373.4595, whichever is less. The department shall allocate the remaining money in the appropriation for such purposes annually, based upon the specific needs of the districts. The department, at its discretion, may include any funds allocated to a district for such purposes in previous years which remain unencumbered by the district on July 1, to the amount of money to be distributed based upon specific needs of the districts.

(3)  The amount of money that may be released to a water management district from the fund for approved plans, or continuations of approved plans, to improve and manage the surface waters described in ss. 373.451-373.4595 is limited to not more than 60 percent of the amount of money necessary for the approved plans of the South Florida Water Management District, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and the St. Johns River Water Management District, and not more than 80 percent of the amount of money necessary for the approved plans of the Northwest Florida Water Management District and the Suwannee River Water Management District. The remaining funds necessary for the approved plans shall be provided by the district.

(4)  Moneys in the fund which are not needed to meet current obligations incurred under this section shall be transferred to the State Board of Administration, to the credit of the trust fund, to be invested in the manner provided by law. Interest received on such investments shall be credited to the trust fund.

History.--s. 5, ch. 87-97; s. 29, ch. 89-279; s. 9, ch. 91-79; s. 11, ch. 91-305; s. 11, ch. 94-115; s. 504, ch. 94-356; s. 44, ch. 96-321.