HomeMy WebLinkAbout21-054RESOLUTION NO.21-054
A RESOLUTION OF THE ST. LUCIE COUNTY EROSION DISTRICT, SUPPORTING
SENATE BILL 1240 OR SIMILAR LEGISLATION THAT INCREASES THE FUNDING FOR
THE STATEWIDE BEACH PROGRAM TO $100 MILLION, OR FUNDS THE ENTIRE
APPROVED LIST AS PROVIDED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT
PROTECTION
WHEREAS, Beaches are Florida's number one tourist attraction, in 2015 generating $61.2
billion for the State's economy; of the 93 million out of state visitors, 47% were beach oriented
visitors; and
WHEREAS, 420 of the State's 825 miles of sandy beaches are critically eroded, including
the beaches of St. Lucie County; and
WHEREAS, the primary cause of beach erosion is the interruption of the natural flow of
sand by navigation improvements at Florida's 66 inlets, including Fort Pierce Beach located
adjacent to the Fort Pierce Inlet; and
WHEREAS, Florida's beaches protect over $150 billion in upland coastal property against
hurricane and storm waves; healthy beaches can reduce damages to coastal development by as
much as 50%; and
WHEREAS, when legislation authorizing the State's beach management program was
enacted in 1986, the Legislature declared an intent to "appropriate at least $35 million annually"
to implement this program; and
WHEREAS, the previous statutory commitment created in 1998 was repealed during the
Land Acquisition Trust Fund Constitutional Amendment implementation; and
WHEREAS, since that time, the State's beach program has never received over $50 million
to assist the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to implement the Beach and Inlet
Management Program, with that level of funding only reached in the last several years; and
WHEREAS, the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners, as part of their 2021
State Legislative Program, supports the creation of a new dedicated and recurring statutory
funding source to assist with fully funding the Beach and Inlet Management Program
NOW, THEREFORE, Be it Resolved, by the St. Lucie County Board of County
Commissioners that the Board:
Section 1. Urges the Florida Legislature to support the creation of a new dedicated and
recurring statutory funding for the Beach and Inlet Management Program within the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection.
Section 2. Urges the Florida Legislature to support an increase in funding for the Beach and
Inlet Management Program to $100 million annually, or fully fund the entire approved list as
provided by the agency.
Section 3. Urges the Florida Legislature to support this endeavor without any modifications
to the current Beach and Inlet Management Program metrics used as ranking criteria for all
projects under this program.
Section 4. The County authorizes and directs the Sr. Coastal Engineer to furnish copies of this
Resolution to our State Legislative Delegation, the President of the Florida Senate, and the
Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
After motion and second, the vote on this resolution was as follows:
Frannie Hutchinson, Chair AYE
Cathy Townsend, Vice -Chair AYE
Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky AYE
Commissioner Linda Bartz AYE
Commissioner Sean Mitchell AYE
PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED this 23rd day of March 2021.
ATTEST
ST. LUCIE COUTY EROSION DISTICT
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLOF66 jl
BY
CHAIR
APPROVED AS TO FORM
AND CORRECTNESS
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