On Wednesday Governor DeSantis signed two pieces of environmental legislation, including SB 1954, into law. Also, the legislation was immediately effective. This legislation marks the largest overhaul of the handling of Florida’s environmental policy since the creation of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in the 1970s.
Governor DeSantis advocated for the creation of a resiliency task force and a series of reforms regarding Florida’s approach to issues like sea-level rise and the legislature delivered. The key changes which are coming to Florida include the creation of a grant program that would fund “resilience” planning outlined by local governments. Also, it tasks Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection with guidelines for eligibility and oversight of the state’s resilience program in addition to the creation of a statewide recommended plan for addressing sea-level rise.
Furthermore, all plans are to be updated annually based on current conditions and new information and the creation of a Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research within the University of South Florida’s Marine Science Center. Lastly, it mandates Florida’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research to use the available annual reporting information in its planning and reporting, used for budget purposes.
The companion legislation funds these initiatives at a rate of $100 million per year, much of which will be accessible by local governments as part of the grant program. The state will create an annual blueprint for local governments to consider. Local governments will then submit their specific proposals for combating sea-level rise/flooding issues and grants will fund approved projects through Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection.
The ongoing research to be used by all entities would be provided through a new research arm at USF. It's a pragmatic approach that utilizes all of the resources available within our state and makes them available to each of our communities. Local leadership will be key from here.
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