Studer Community Institute

Nearly $26.6 million in local projects among Amendment 1 requests

February 17, 2015
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TALLAHASSEE — Water-related projects totaling nearly $1.2 billion have been proposed as state lawmakers decide how to carve up a pot of money that voters want for land and water conservation and management. That list includes $26.6 million in projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee has posted on its webpage a summary list of 475 requested water projects from across the state that would far surpass anticipated first-year funding from a constitutional amendment voters approved in November. Escambia and Santa Rosa county projects on the list include: — Adding lime facilities to a wastewater treatment plant in Century, $126,000. — Flood improvement project at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, $550,000. — Upgrading the Innerarity Water and Sewer System, $1,020,000. — A beneficial effluent reuse project Milton, $349,115. — A water reclamation and effluent disposal facility in East Milton, $15 million. — Santa Rosa County Navarre Beach wastewater treatment facility discharge relocation and regional reuse project, $9,650,000. The House panel is working to define the intent of the ballot initiative, which was known as Amendment 1 and was approved by 75 percent of voters. The amendment, which directs 33 percent of the proceeds from a real-estate tax to land and water projects, is expected to provide $757 million for the efforts during the fiscal year that starts July 1. Now, about 20 percent of the annual real-estate documentary stamp revenue — $470.8 million in the 2014-2015 fiscal year — is divided up into different trust funds supporting environmental programs, according to Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando. Environmental groups have presented lawmakers with potential funding outline for next year that would send $150 million to the Everglades and South Florida estuaries and another $150 million to the Florida Forever program for land acquisition, springs and trails. Also, $90 million would go for land management, $50 million for springs, $25 million for rural family lands and $20 million for beach management. The rest would cover debt service. Jim Turner of News Service of Florida contributed to this report.

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Nearly $26.6 million in local projects among Amendment 1 requests

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