(1) SHORT TITLE. This section shall be known and may be cited as "The Big Cypress Conservation Act of 1973."

(2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the Legislature to conserve and protect the natural resources and scenic beauty of the Big Cypress Area of Florida. It is the finding of the Legislature that the Big Cypress Area is an area containing and having a significant impact upon environmental and natural resources of regional and statewide importance and that designation of the area as an area of critical state concern is desirable and necessary to accomplish the purposes of "The Florida Environmental Land and Water Management Act of 1972" and to implement s. 7, Art. II of the State Constitution.

(3) DESIGNATION AS AREA OF CRITICAL STATE CONCERN. The "Big Cypress Area," as defined in this subsection, is hereby designated as an area of critical state concern. "Big Cypress Area" means the area generally depicted on the map entitled "Boundary Map, Big Cypress National Freshwater Reserve, Florida," numbered BC-91,001 and dated November 1971, which is on file and available for public inspection in the office of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., and in the office of the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, which is the area proposed as the Federal Big Cypress National Freshwater Reserve, Florida, and that area described as follows: Sections 1, 2, 11, 12 and 13 in Township 49 South, Range 31 East; and Township 49 South, Range 32 East, less Sections 19, 30 and 31; and Township 49 South, Range 33 East; and Township 49 South, Range 34 East; and Sections 1 through 5 and 10 through 14 in Township 50 South, Range 32 East; and Sections 1 through 18 and 20 through 25 in Township 50 South, Range 33 East; and Township 50 South, Range 34 East, less Section 31; and Sections 1 and 2 in Township 51 South, Range 34 East; All in Collier County, Florida, which described area shall be known as the "Big Cypress National Preserve Addition, Florida," together with such contiguous land and water areas as are ecologically linked with the Everglades National Park, certain of the estuarine fisheries of South Florida, or the freshwater aquifer of South Florida, the definitive boundaries of which shall be set in the following manner: Within 120 days following the effective date of this act, the state land planning agency shall recommend definitive boundaries for the Big Cypress Area to the Administration Commission, after giving notice to all local governments and regional planning agencies which include within their boundaries any part of the area proposed to be included in the Big Cypress Area and holding such hearings as the state land planning agency deems appropriate. Within 45 days following receipt of the recommended boundaries, the Administration Commission shall adopt, modify, or reject the recommendation and shall by rule establish the boundaries of the area defined as the Big Cypress Area.

(4) ADOPTION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS. The provisions of s. 380.05(5)-(11), (17), and (20) shall not apply to the Big Cypress Area. All other provisions of this chapter shall apply to the Big Cypress Area. Any provision of this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, the state land planning agency has the right, and its duty shall be, to submit recommended land development regulations applicable to the Big Cypress Area to the Administration Commission concurrent with the boundaries recommended pursuant to subsection (3). The Administration Commission shall either reject the recommendation as tendered or adopt the same by rule with or without modification. The commission shall specify the extent to which regulations adopted pursuant to this section supersede local land development regulations.

(5) ACQUISITION OF BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide the means to accomplish an agreement between the State of Florida and the Government of the United States, whereby the state will contribute toward the cost of a program of acquisition of land and water areas and related rights and interests within the area proposed as the Federal Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund begin immediately an acquisition program within the area proposed as the Federal Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, on behalf of the state pending action by the Government of the United States in the Big Cypress Area.

(b) The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund shall set aside from the proceeds of the full faith and credit bonds authorized by the Land Conservation Act of 1972, or from other funds authorized, appropriated, or allocated for the acquisition of environmentally endangered lands, or from both sources, $40 million for acquisition of the area proposed as the Federal Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, or portions thereof.

(c) The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund is empowered to acquire land and water areas within the Federal Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, created by Pub. L. No. 93-440, in order to conserve and protect the natural resources and scenic beauty therein and to donate and convey title in land and water areas so acquired or currently owned by the state to the Government of the United States or its agency upon the expenditure by the United States of an amount of federal funds at least equal to the acquisition cost of the land and water areas donated by the state. The intent of this condition for the donation of land and water areas by the state is to ensure that the investment of federal funds in the acquisition of land and water areas for the Big Cypress National Preserve will be not less than the investment of state funds in the land and water areas so donated. In making such acquisitions, the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund shall give priority to those land and water areas within the area proposed as the Federal Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, which are essential to the integrity of the environment, the destruction of which would cause irreparable damage to the Everglades National Park, the estuarine fisheries of South Florida, or the underlying freshwater aquifer.

(6) FUNCTION OF WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. It is the finding of the Legislature that the Big Cypress Area, as a water storage and recharge area, is an integral part of the water resources of any water management district of which the Big Cypress Area is or may be a part. It is the legislative intent that there be close cooperation and coordination of efforts between the water management district and the Department of Environmental Protection in carrying out the intent and purposes of this section. The secretary is authorized to delegate to the water management district, or to a board therein, any power authorized in this section to be exercised by the department, and the district or basin is authorized to accept the powers delegated to it and shall have the power and duty to carry out the intent and purposes of this section to the fullest extent possible within its capabilities and resources.

(7) EMINENT DOMAIN WITHIN BIG CYPRESS AREA AND BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE ADDITION. The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund is empowered and authorized to acquire by the exercise of the power of eminent domain any land or water areas and related resources and property, and any and all rights, title, and interest in such land or water areas and related resources and other property, lying within the boundaries of the Big Cypress Area and Big Cypress National Preserve Addition. The Legislature finds that the exercise of the power of eminent domain within the Big Cypress Area and Big Cypress National Preserve Addition to accomplish the purposes of this section is necessary and for a public purpose.

(8) INDIAN RIGHTS. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, members of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida may continue their usual and customary use and occupancy of lands and waters within the Big Cypress Area, including hunting, fishing, and trapping on a subsistence basis and traditional tribal ceremonials. Nothing in this section shall be construed to deny or impair, or authorize the denial or impairment, of any rights granted by or pursuant to chapter 285 relative to Indian reservation and affairs, and the lands of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, as described in s. 285.061(1), shall be excluded from the Big Cypress Area as defined in this section.

(9) ACQUISITION OF BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE ADDITION.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide the means to accomplish an agreement between the State of Florida and the Government of the United States whereby the state will contribute toward the cost of a program of acquisition of land and water areas and related rights and interests within the area proposed as the Federal Big Cypress National Preserve Addition, Florida. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Governor and the Cabinet begin an acquisition program within the area designated as the Big Cypress National Preserve Addition on behalf of the state pending action by the Government of the United States in the Big Cypress Area.

(b) The Governor and Cabinet are empowered to acquire land and water areas within the Federal Big Cypress National Preserve Addition, in order to conserve and protect the natural resources and scenic beauty therein and to donate and convey title in land and water areas so acquired or currently owned by the state to the Government of the United States or its agency upon the expenditure by the United States of an amount of federal funds sufficient to pay the remaining 80 percent of the cost of acquiring such lands. The intent of this condition for the donation of land and water areas by the state is to ensure that the investment of federal funds in the acquisition of land and water areas for the Big Cypress National Preserve Addition will amount to 80 percent of the cost thereof and the state's investment shall amount to 20 percent of such costs in total. In making such acquisitions, the Governor and Cabinet shall give priority to those land and water areas within the area proposed as the Federal Big Cypress National Preserve Addition, Florida, which are essential to the integrity of the environment, the destruction of which would cause irreparable damage to the Everglades National Park, the Big Cypress National Preserve, the estuarine fisheries of South Florida, or the underlying freshwater aquifer.

(10) ACQUISITION OF BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE AND ADDITION BY ALTERNATE METHODS. For purposes of acquisition in the Big Cypress Area and Big Cypress National Preserve Addition, the acquisition procedures provided in chapter 337 may be utilized in lieu of chapter 253 where appropriate. The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund is authorized to enter into an interagency agreement with the Department of Transportation wherein the Department of Transportation may acquire lands in the Big Cypress Area and Big Cypress National Preserve Addition on behalf of the board of trustees and be reimbursed therefor in a share proportionate to the value of the interest acquired. Such acquired property shall be titled in the name of the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, except that the Department of Transportation shall retain title to that portion of the property needed for highway right-of-way. History: ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ch. 73-131; s. 1, ch. 75-175; s. 4, ch. 78-95; s. 89, ch. 79-164; s. 236, ch. 81-259; s. 1, ch. 85-346; s. 64, ch. 86-186; s. 31, ch. 87-225; s. 342, ch. 94-356.