Funding Priorities
- Support the inclusion of at least $740 million in the State’s budget for CERP and associated Everglades restoration projects
- Support continued funding and timely completion of the C43 Reservoir
- Support the City of Naples funding request of $10 million for the Naples Gulf of Mexico Beach Stormwater Outfall Pipe Removal & Water Quality Project
- Support funding for Florida Forever and secure the Florida Wildlife Corridor
- Support funding for the Picayune Strand Restoration Project Southwest Protection Feature Water Quality Treatment component
- Support funding for additional water quality monitoring and transparency in reporting water quality results
Policy Priorities
- Support legislation to fill in the gaps that currently exist in water quality testing, reporting, and public information (similar to the 2023 Safe Waterways Act bills)
- Support the ratification of the updates to the state stormwater rule, providing that the final rule language remains unchanged during ratification and is consistent with state and federal rules and laws
- Oppose preemption and support local government home rule authority to implement policies more stringent than state standards
- Oppose any legislation that would infringe on local government’s ability to adopt strong and stringent fertilizer ordinances to protect water quality. Accept no legislation that would impinge on existing ordinances, or limit amendments to or adoption of new strong fertilizer ordinances
- Support legislation removing the harmful fee-shifting provision from Florida Statutes Ch. 163.3215 and Ch. 163.3184, which has had a chilling effect on the public’s ability to defend local comprehensive plans through challenging inconsistent developments
- Support reinstatement of a meaningful statewide planning agency (Department of Community Affairs) to review and enforce comprehensive plans