DEP issues modest request for land buying, seeks to sell nonconservation land

[Patricia M. McBride]

Send this info to your city council members or go to the city council meeting on the "land grab" tomorrow night at 6 PM at city hall (11/21).

Bruce Ritchie, 10/17/2013 - 11:27 AM

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is requesting $20 million in new revenue for conservation land-buying, an amount questioned by some environmentalists as the state moves into a budget surplus year.

The 2014-15 legislative budget request filed this week also includes $75 million for Everglades restoration and related cleanup projects.

In addition to the $20 million in new revenue for the Florida Forever land-buying program, DEP is seeking to spend $20 million from the sale of nonconservation land, a department spokesman said.

The Florida Forever program, which received $300 million from 1990 to 2008, always is a legislative priority for environmental groups. But the program since 2008 has received less than 5 percent of its historic annual funding.

Environmentalists say they are hoping for more in the governor's 2014-15 state budget request, which is expected in January.

"Assuming the $40 million is for projects on the Florida Forever list and they are able to generate $20 million from nonconservation sales, it's a start," said Janet Bowman, director of legislative policy and strategies for The Nature Conservancy's state chapter.

In the current state budget, DEP has $20 million in new revenue and authority to sell $50 million of conservation land to buy new lands -- but it appears the department won't get close to selling that amount. An initial list of more than 5,331 acres in August has been trimmed to 3,409 acres. And some opponents of the land sales questioned why nonconservation lands, such as parcels not needed for prisons and highways, were not sold first.

Eric Draper, executive director of Audubon Florida, said the Florida Forever Coalition will request $100 million in new funding for the authorized priorities of the Florida Forever program.

"We will look very carefully at what DEP recommends," he said. "We hope the governor will go well beyond the DEP recommendation."

The $75 million request for Everglades restoration and water quality projects includes transferring $18 million from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund.

"DEP is using trust fund money that is by statute intended for other purposes rather than growing the environmental budget," Bowman said.

DEP also is requesting $15 million for springs protection, an increase of $5 million over what the Legislature provided in this year's budget. With many springs becoming choked with algae, some senators on a committee recently said they want to provide more money for springs.

In addition, DEP is requesting $125 million for petroleum contamination site cleanups and $25 million for beach sand restoration projects. Those requests all closely track funding in the 2013-14 state budget.

The department also is requesting $48 million in spending authority for money from the federal RESTORE Act used to distribute fines from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill to four other Gulf states and Florida's counties.

Related Research: Department of Environmental Protection's Legislative Budget Request * Exhibit D-3A: Expenditures by Issue and Appropriation Category   * Schedule I: Trust Funds Available and Schedule IB (if applicable)- ...   * Schedule I: Department Level - Related Document   * Schedule VIIIB-2: Priority Listing of Agency Budget Issues for Poss... * Schedule VIIIC: Priority Listing of Agency Budget Issues for Possib...   * Manual Exhibits, Schedules and Supporting Documents 

Reporter Bruce Ritchie can be reached at [e-mail]

http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=34909946&utm_so...

[Leanne King]

 Most typing done with right hand and I have figured out how to use the thumb on the left even with the splint. I think of our wounded warriors and press on. This is nothing compared to the things they deal with. Bless you for the thought.

[Patricia M. McBride]

I hope you are being very careful with your hand.  You had to do a ton on that Common Core one!

[Leanne King]

Thanks and the land grab goes out in the morning thanks to you.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Wow, have you been busy.  Great info.  Thanks!

[Leanne King]

CLAY COUNTY Board of County Commissoners

PO Box 1366., Green Cove Springs, FL 32043 FAX [phone]

Phone [phone] or 284-6376 or Keystone Residents Phone [phone]

District 1 - Wendell Davis, email: [e-mail]

District 2 - Doug Conkey, email: [e-mail]

District 3 - Diane Hutchings, email: [e-mail]

District 4 - Chereese Stewart, email: [e-mail]

District 5 - Ronnie Robinson, email: [e-mail]

[Leanne King]

ST JOHNS COUNTY Mayor and Council Members

500 San Sebastian View, St Augustine, FL 32084

Mayor Dennis O'Keefe, FAX [phone], Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

All of the following share FAX [phone]:

Deputy-Mayor Shannie Duff, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

Ward 1 - Councillor Danny Breen, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

Ward 2 - Councillor Frank Galgay, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

Ward 3 - Councillor Bruce Tilley, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

Ward 4 - Councillor Debbie Hanlon, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

Ward 5 - Councillor Wally Collins, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

At Large - Councillor Gerry Colbert, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

At Large - Councillor Tom Hann, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

At Large - Councillor Sandy Hickman, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

At Large - Councillor Sheilagh O'Leary, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

[Leanne King]

DUVAL COUNTY Mayor & City Council

117 W. Duval St., Jacksonville, FL 32202

Mayor Alvin Brown, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 1 - Clay Yarborough, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 2 - William Bishop, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 3 - Richard Clark, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 4 - Don Redman, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 5 - Lori N. Boyer, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 6 - Matt Schellenberg, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 7 - Dr. Johnny Gaffney, Phone [phone], email: Gaffney@ coj.net

District 8 - E. Denise Lee, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 9 - Warren A. Jones, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 10 - Reginald L. Brown, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 11 - Ray Holt, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 12 - Doyle Carter, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 13 - Bill Gulliford, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

District 14 - Jim Love, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

At Large Group 1 - Kimberly Davis, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

At Large Group 2 - John R. Crescimbeni, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

At Large Group 3 - Stephen C. Joost, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

At Large Group 4 - Greg Anderson, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]

At Large Group 5 - Robin Lumb, Phone [phone], email: [e-mail]