Bill > S0552

This bill enacts the "Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act" and makes several changes to environmental resource management in Florida. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create and maintain an online database of conservation lands accessible to the public, including details on access, amenities, and restrictions, and to develop a mobile application for locating these lands. The bill also authorizes certain water management districts to designate and implement pilot projects for alternative water supply development in restricted allocation areas, which are regions where water sources are insufficient for current and future needs. It prohibits these districts from modifying permitted water allocation amounts under specific circumstances, such as when actual water use is less than permitted due to conservation measures or weather events. The legislation establishes new definitions and requirements for protecting Outstanding Florida Springs, including the delineation of priority focus areas, the adoption of minimum flows and levels, and the development of basin management action plans to reduce nutrient pollution, with specific provisions for onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems. Additionally, it mandates the creation of a comprehensive statewide springs protection plan, requires water management districts to report on their water resource development work programs, and enhances reporting requirements for environmental data quality and progress on water resource projects. The bill also addresses improvements to water quality and storage on private agricultural lands through public-private partnerships and revises provisions related to the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program.