Florida Sen. Gayle Harrell's bill to fund Indian River lagoon projects passes Senate committee

A bill that would provide at least $50 million each year in state funding for projects to restore the Indian River Lagoon has passed the Florida Senate's Environment and Natural Resources Committee. 

Senate Bill 368, filed by Republican state Sen. Gayle Harrell of Stuart, would use money from the state’s Land Acquisition Trust Fund to create grants for Indian River Lagoon conservation and management projects. 

Projects could include: 

• Managing stormwater, freshwater and agricultural discharges
• Connecting septic systems to central sewer systems
• Ecosystem monitoring
• Habitat restoration

Any septic-to-sewer projects or discharge-reducing projects would require local governments to match at least half the project cost.

More: Florida Sen. Gayle Harrell seeks money for Indian River Lagoon projects

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Harrell said during the meeting the bill would make it so local governments would not have to go to the Legislature each year to get individual projects approved. 

"It gives you so much flexibility to use those dollars, to get those local dollars, to be able to do these major projects, and it takes a lot of work," Harrell said.

Aliki Moncrief, the executive director of Florida Conservation Voters, said her organization doesn't support the bill because it would use the Land Acquisition Trust Fund for projects instead of acquiring and protecting conservation lands. She said she'd like the state to find other funding sources for the projects.

"We hope to work with the sponsor of this bill and others that tap into that funding stream to make sure the priorities go to land acquisition and not to wastewater treatment," Moncrief said.

State Sen. Lori Berman, D-Lantana, voted against the bill for the same reason. 

Harrell said there are "many" other uses for land acquisition trust fund money other than land acquisition.

State Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne, said a dedicated funding source is needed for septic to sewer projects. 

"If we're going to make a difference in our waterways, it has to be a big impact to know that the money is going to be there going forward," Mayfield said. 

Harrell previously filed the bill during last year's session, while serving in the Florida House. It was not heard in any committees. 

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