2008 Water Projects - Legislative Session Wrap-Up

 

The 2008-09 budget (General Appropriations Act) has been passed and approved by the Governor. The list of approved projects is included in the excerpt from the GAA, in line item 1772C. Only one project was vetoed.

Next steps?

The Department's Bureau of Water Facilities Funding will notify each local government sponsor of a funded project with information about the next steps in the process. Generally speaking, you will be asked for supplemental project and budget information, as well as a project schedule, in order that we can prepare a grant agreement (contract). Some negotiation may be involved depending on the size of your project and the amount funded relative to the funds you requested from the Legislature. Once an agreement is signed, you will be able to begin seeking reimbursement for invoices associated with work performed.

DEP's role in project review?

DEP reviewed all projects sent to the agency by the House and Senate, specifically those drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, surface water restoration, and other water management projects filed as "Community Budget Issue Requests" (CBIRs) by local governments. We reviewed the projects relative to the criteria in s. 403.885, F.S. At the request of the Governor's Office and Legislature, we sent stormwater and surface water restoration projects to the relevant water management district (WMD) for Governing Board approval or disapproval depending on whether the project benefitted a WMD priority waterbody. The Governing Board determination was included in the DEP review. We also provided other information to the Governor's Office and Legislature at their request, including population, per capita income, historical funding, and identified available matching funds.

DEP submitted its evaluation of all projects to the Governor's Office and Legislature during the session just ended. That evaluation identified whether each project met the applicable criteria based on the information on the CBIR form. DEP has no authority to prioritize or recommend funding for any project and did not offer qualitative or comparative judgments on projects. All funding decisions were made by the Legislature, subject to veto by the Governor.

Questions and other information?

If you have questions, please contact DEP by e-mail at waterprojects@dep.state.fl.us or call Geof Mansfield at 850.245.3144 or 850.245.8339.

Information on a variety of financial assistance programs for water-related projects, both DEP's and those of other state and federal agencies, is available in the summary document, "Water Resource Funding in Florida."