Bruce Ritchie
Environmental groups said Wednesday that the water and land conservation ballot initiative approved in November makes no reference to wastewater treatment and water supply projects and isn’t intended to pay for existing state agency expenses.
The policy statement and news release issued by Florida’s Water & Land Legacy coalition comes a week after Gov. Rick Scott issued his 2015-16 budget request that included $17.5 million for Florida Keys wastewater improvements and $156.3 million for continuing environmental programs.
But the coalition made no reference Wednesday to the governor’s budget.
Sierra Club Florida field director Frank Jackalone said a policy statement about not using Amendment 1 to fund existing expenses — such as agency operations — was a reference to the governor’s budget request.
“Ultimately, the intent of Amendment 1 is to provide funding at historic levels for these programs, and not merely to supplant Florida’s current budget for environmental programs,” the position statement said.
However, asked whether the groups were commenting on the request for continuing environmental programs under amendment 1, coalition chairman Will Abberger said the groups are not taking a position on any specific projects.
“What we are trying to do is articulate to the Legislature the Scott administration the clear intent of the amendment as the amendment sponsors and the broader principle that Amendment does not require any new legislation,” said Abberger, who also is director of conservation finance at The Trust for Public Land.
Amendment 1, approved by 75 percent of voters in November, included broad language to direct documentary stamp tax revenue to a broad range of programs involving water and land conservation.
Voter approval immediately touched off debate about whether wastewater treatment programs were eligible for funding. Some supporters have said Amendment 1 spending should not offset revenue for some existing environmental programs or go towards wastewater treatment.
The governor’s budget request provides $773.4 million for Amendment 1 spending including $100 million for the Florida Forever land-buying program, $50 million for springs, $97 million for land management, $156.3 million for continuation of environmental programs.
Of the $50 million that the governor has proposed for Florida Keys wastewater projects, $17.5 million would come from Amendment 1 documentary stamp tax revenue. Another $32.5 million would come from general revenue as would $50 million for water supply projects.
In a press release, coalition supporters said the selection of Amendment 1 projects should be based on science and not politics.
“Amendment 1 is intended to fund land conservation, not wastewater infrastructure and water supply development,” said Manley Fuller, president of the Florida Wildlife Federation. “There are other, more appropriate sources of revenue to meet those needs.”
Abberger said some projects that involve improving wastewater to protect springs could be eligible for Amendment 1 funding. But if every local government thinks it deserves Amendment 1 funds for upgrading wastewater, “that clearly is not the intent of the voters in my opinion,” he said.
And he said the coalition still is analyzing bills introduced last week by Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness and chairman of the Senate environmental committee, that would restructure trust funds with the goal of making Amendment 1 spending transparent.
“We certainly support that intent,” Abberger said, although the coalition still believes that implementing legislation is not required.
Bruce Ritchie (@bruceritchie) covers environment, energy and growth management in Tallahassee.
