(1) The Department of Environmental Protection shall perform all staff duties and functions related to the acquisition, administration, and disposition of state lands, title to which is or will be vested in the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund. However, upon the effective date of rules adopted pursuant to s. 373.427, a water management district created under s. 373.069 shall perform the staff duties and functions related to the review of any application for authorization to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands necessary for an activity regulated under part IV of chapter 373 for which the water management district has permitting responsibility as set forth in an operating agreement adopted pursuant to s. 373.046(4). Unless expressly prohibited by law, the board of trustees may delegate to the department any statutory duty or obligation relating to the acquisition, administration, or disposition of lands, title to which is or will be vested in the board of trustees. The board of trustees may also delegate to any water management district created under s. 373.069 the authority to take final agency action, without any action on behalf of the board, on applications for authorization to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands for any activity regulated under part IV of chapter 373 for which the water management district has permitting responsibility as set forth in an operating agreement adopted pursuant to s. 373.046(4). This water management district responsibility under this subsection shall be subject to the department's general supervisory authority pursuant to s. 373.026(7).

(2) Delegations to the department or a water management district of authority to take final agency action on applications for authorization to use submerged lands owned by the board of trustees, without any action on behalf of the board of trustees, shall be by rule. Until rules adopted pursuant to this subsection become effective, existing delegations by the board of trustees shall remain in full force and effect. However, the board of trustees is not limited or prohibited from amending these delegations. By December 31, 1995, the board of trustees shall adopt by rule any delegations of its authority to take final agency action without action by the board of trustees on applications for authorization to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands. Any final agency action, without action by the board of trustees, taken by the department or water management district on applications to use board of trustees-owned submerged lands shall be subject to the provisions of s. 373.4275. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, the board of trustees, the Department of Legal Affairs, and the department retain the concurrent authority to assert or defend title to submerged lands owned by the board of trustees. History: s. 4, ch. 79-255; s. 5, ch. 93-213; s. 488, ch. 94-356.