Bruce Ritchie
Leaders of the House and Senate have said they expect water to be a priority in the upcoming legislative session but they’ve been vague at best on what issues should be addressed.
On Thursday, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam weighed in by outlining recommendations for what he said are the “bold” changes needed in state water policy and state law.
“I believe water is the biggest long-term issue facing Florida — regardless of what part of the state you’re from, what your occupation is,” Putnam told the House State Affairs Committee.
He said state water policy should place an emphasis on restoring springs, improving water flowing into Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades and planning for future water supply needs in Central Florida.
Putnam’s recommendations included:
++++ Strengthening state water policy to ensure that water supply plans for Florida’s five water management districts are effectively implemented.
+++++ Prioritizing water supply projects to meet the minimum groundwater levels and stream flows being set by water districts to protect springs, lakes and rivers.
+++++ Increasing water resource development and alternative water supplies, including increased recycling of treated wastewater.
+++++ Prioritizing water quality initiatives towards the restoration of the quality and volume of water flowing from Florida’s springs.
+++++ Revising state law to reflect progress towards reducing pollution in water flowing into Lake Okeechobee.
+++++ Codifying in state law the Central Florida Water Initiative, the five-county water planning area that includes Orlando.
“This will be hard,” Putnam said. “It will be complex. But it is important that we do it — and that we do it sooner rather than later. That we do it now — this session.”
Putnam said after the meeting he doesn’t expect to propose legislation or bill language or press legislators to adopt his recommendations.
Also during the committee meeting, the Department of Environmental Protection outlined its efforts to restore springs and waterways and provide for cooperative planning among water management districts.
Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Lehigh Acres and chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, said water will be a “huge” area of work for the committee. He said he expects the committee to hear more ideas during meetings in February.
“I think it (Putnam’s presentation) was thought-provoking,” Caldwell said in an interview after the meeting. “It certainly covered the width and breadth of the issues everyone is aware of — springs, Central Florida and the Everglades.
Associated Industries of Florida president and CEO Tom Feeney said legislators must understand how “shortfalls” in water law are affecting water users around the state.
“Commissioner Putnam’s recommendations provide an excellent framework to increase Florida’s water supply and enact commonsense, science-based water quality reforms,” Feeney said in a written statement.
Audubon Florida Executive Director Eric Draper credited the Department of Environmental Protection for its water planning initiatives while also praising Putnam for stepping into a leadership role on water.
“He deserves credit for standing up and saying water is a significant issue in Florida and is going to be a limit on our economic growth if we don’t solve it,” Draper said. “That is leadership.”
Bruce Ritchie (@bruceritchie) is an independent journalist covering environment and growth management issues in Tallahassee.
