House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #374 St. Lucie River Restoration
Requester:	Frank Bernardino		Organization:		South Florida Water Management District
Project Title:	St. Lucie River Restoration		Date Submitted:		01/27/2000 12:57:53 PM
District Member:	Kenneth Pruitt		Service Area:		Regional
Counties Affected:	Martin, St. Lucie
Recipient:	South Florida Water Management District		Contact:		Frank Bernardino
	PO Box 24680		Contact Phone:		(305) 546-8836
	West Palm Beach 33416-4680
Project Description:
This is the second year of a program initiated by the St. Lucie Estuary Issues Team in the fall of 1988. The Issues Team, established by the Federal Working Group, was directed to solicit, review and reank local projects to restore the water quality and habitat of the St. Lucie Estuary. The team requested $29.4M from the Legislature and were successful in securing $7.5M of the for FY00. The team is governed by sunshine requirements and will not be able to meet until January. A detailed list on individual projects will be submitted by the end of January 2000
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
The St. Lucie River Estuarty is the major tributary to the Southern Indian River Lagoon. With development in the area over the last 100 years, the watershed surrounding the estuary now covers 775 square miles. The converstion of natural areas to agricultural, residental and urban development as well as the increased spatial extent of the contributing watershed has disrupted the quanity, timing and quality of water entering the estuary. The consequences of these man-made changes have resulted in extreme deterioration of the health of the waterbody. The projects in this proposal directly address these current problems. They are desidgned to, and being ranked by their ability to meet the major goals outlined in restoration plans for the Indian River Lagoon. These plans include the 1994 IRL SWIM plan, 1996 IRL Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan and the 1998 St. Lucie River Issue Team Report. These major goals are: 1)Improve the quantity and timing of freshwater delivery to the estuary; 2)Reduce nutrient loads to the estuary; 3)Reduce sediment loads to the estuary; 4)Improve bottom habitat in the estuary; and 5)Improve shoreline habitat in the estuary.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
Improvements in the quality, timing and delievery of stormwater to the St. Lucie Estuary. Preservation of environmentally sensitive habitats and/or the restoration of already impacted areas. Implementation of Best Management Practices on urban, commercial and agricultural landscapes.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$10,000,000
Total cost of the project:		$20,000,000

Request has been made to fund:			Construction
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?						Yes
	Cash Amount:	$10,000,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?						Yes
	Fiscal Year:	1999-2000		Amount:		$7,500,000
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?						Yes
	Amount:	$10,000,000
	Purpose for future year funding:				YesNon-recurring Construction and Monitoring
	Will this be an annual request?					Unknown
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?						Yes
	Agency:	Environmental Protection, Department Of
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?						Yes
Is there a documented need for this project?						Yes
	Documentation:	Indian River Lagoon SWIM Plan
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?						Unknown