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HomeMy Public PortalAboutLTC 066-2021 - Legislative Session Final Funding Update– JMG/MH Session 2021 Final Funding Update FUNDING REQUEST UPDATE: Bal Harbour Village Stormwater System Improvements: Not Funded Amount Requested: $535,000 Sponsors: Senator Pizzo, Representative Geller After a long 50 plus days of the 2021 legislative Session, great debate and discussion, the Governor and Legislature have agreed upon a major policy change in how funding by the state for local infrastructure projects are addressed long term. They have identified three critical areas, affordable housing, septic to sewer, and resiliency. Traditionally, septic to sewer, stormwater, wastewater treatment, drainage, flooding, water reclamation, water quality, water infrastructure systems rehabilitations and improvements such as pump stations, canal funding, and many other types of water projects have been funded with general revenue. The Legislature has always done that one year at a time, subject to the politics of funding, the availability of funds, and specific need. For example, cities and counties customarily apply for many of the types of projects listed above, and very few are funded in an annual “water project list”, which have often totaled $60 million to $80 million and occasionally as high as $100 million, for all projects that receive funding. These same statewide needs, as indicated through local government funding requests submitted, have totaled an annual requested amount of more than $900 million. Now, the State has split these needs as well as affordable housing, into categories such as traditional water projects, septic to sewer projects, and any project that focuses on resiliency infrastructure needs, and affordable housing. (SB 1954, SB 2512) These bills are considered as budget conforming bills, and relate to things contained within the State budget, and establish the statewide plan to fund key infrastructure programs, priorities of the Senate President and the House Speaker. The three-part infrastructure plan revises the statutory distribution of documentary (DOC) stamp proceeds to prioritize investing in state and local affordable housing programs, mitigating the impacts of sea level rise, and enhancing wastewater programs, including septic-to-sewer conversions. The new framework provides predictable funding for all three infrastructure priorities on a recurring basis. Provisions in the legislation will prevent funding from being “swept” from the State Housing Trust Fund (Sadowski Act) and the Local Government Housing Trust Fund and used for other purposes. Regarding the redistribution of the Documentary (DOC) Stamp tax revenue, under the distribution outlined in SB 2512, during the upcoming fiscal year, affordable housing programs would receive approximately $200 million. Additionally, these newly created programs established to mitigate the impacts of sea level rise and enhance wastewater programs would each receive approximately $111 million, respectfully. This addresses a true commitment in dealing with the vast infrastructure needs across Florida. Going forward, water projects that fall into the category of resiliency or septic to sewer, will now be funded through the newly created Resilient Florida Grant Program. This new program will be administered by the Department of Environmental Protection. (DEP) and is specifically for local government projects, in which counties and cities will submit an application for funding and be ranked by the Department. Some true water projects were funded this year, and will continue to be funded as in the past, in the general appropriations act. In the newly released Florida budget for FY 2021 - 22, additional funding as a result of the federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund will be provided in this grant program in the amount of $500 million. As the State fiscal year begins July 1, we will work closely with the Department to provide the most up to date information as this new grant program develops. Resilient Florida Grant Program Criteria (created in SB 1954) This bill creates and sets the parameters for the Resilient Florida Grant Program within DEP Funded for FY 2021 – 2022 with $500,000,000 This bill establishes statewide programs for adaptation to flooding and sea level rise. The programs are intended to address flooding statewide. The bill creates the Resilient Florida Grant Program within the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide grants to counties or municipalities for community resilience planning, such as vulnerability assessments, plan development, and projects to adapt critical assets. These grants will fund the costs of community resilience planning and necessary data collection for such planning, including: comprehensive plan amendments and necessary corresponding analyses that address the requirements of s. 163.3178(2)(f) vulnerability assessments that identify or address risks of flooding and sea level rise; the development of projects, plans, and policies that allow communities to prepare for threats from flooding and sea level rise, and projects to adapt critical assets to the effects of flooding and sea level rise.