Florida - Thursday June 1, 2023: Governor DeSantis has signed House Bill (HB) 1379 which enhances protections for the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), expands the existing wastewater grant program, strengthens Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs), improves local government long-term comprehensive planning, and creates dedicated funding for the state’s land conservation efforts.
The new law will:
• Enhance protection of the IRL by creating the IRL Protection Program and requiring a comprehensive water quality monitoring program. Additionally, this bill creates new requirements for septic systems to protect and restore the IRL.
• Expand the eligibility requirements for the Wastewater Grant Program to include stormwater and agriculture and expanding the geographic areas of eligibility to include all waterbodies that are not meeting water quality standards.
• Strengthen BMAPs by requiring local governments to identify projects that will help meet nutrient reduction goals and expanding water quality protections from septic tanks and wastewater treatment facilities within BMAPs.
• Improve local government long-term comprehensive planning to support environmental protection and restoration by requiring comprehensive plans to determine the feasibility of providing sewer over septic in certain areas and upgrading systems to advanced wastewater treatment.
This bill also expedites Florida’s conservation efforts by dedicating $100 million annually for the Florida Forever Program, which is Florida’s premier conservation and recreation lands acquisition program.
