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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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An act relating to the restoration of Osborne Reef; 2
providing legislative findings and intent; requiring 3
the Department of Environmental Protection to submit a 4
status report on the Osborne Reef cleanup and tire 5
removal project to the Legislature by a specified 6
date; requiring the department to develop a 7
restoration plan for the reef by a specified date; 8
providing requirements for the restoration plan; 9
requiring the department to submit a report to the 10
Legislature upon completion of the plan; providing 11
requirements for the report; providing an effective 12
date. 13
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15
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Section 1. Osborne Reef; restoration pl an.— 17
(1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. — 18
(a) The Legislature finds that: 19
1. More than 1 million tires were deposited in the ocean 20
off the coast of Broward County during the 1970s to create an 21
artificial reef habitat by providing structures to which coral 22
could attach and attract additional marine life; however, many 23
of the tires have corroded, broken loose, and dislodged along 24
the coastline, damaging the existing fragile coral reef system 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
and prompting the Legislature to appropriate millions of doll ars 26
to retrieve the tires. 27
2. Coral reefs are an important part of this state's 28
coastal ecosystem, creating habitats that provide shelter, food, 29
and breeding grounds for plants and animals. 30
(b) The Legislature intends to restore Osborne Reef to 31
being capable of creating a habitat for plants and animals, and 32
to dedicate resources toward restoring the artificial reef and 33
the nearby natural coral reef systems once the cleanup of the 34
site has been completed. 35
(2) STATUS REPORT.—By December 1, 2023, the Dep artment of 36
Environmental Protection shall submit a report to the President 37
of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on 38
the status of the Osborne Reef cleanup and tire removal project. 39
At a minimum, the report must include a description of the 40
condition of the remaining Osborne Reef structure, any 41
restoration efforts undertaken to restore the reef structure, 42
the number of tires retrieved since the project began and the 43
number of tires that still need to be retrieved, and an 44
estimated timeline for the completion of the cleanup and tire 45
removal project. 46
(3) RESTORATION PLAN. — 47
(a) By July 1, 2024, the Department of Environmental 48
Protection shall develop a comprehensive coral reef restoration 49
plan for Osborne Reef to be commenced, subject to appropriation 50
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HB 641 2023 Legislature
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
by the Legislature, upon the completion of the cleanup and tire 51
removal project. At a minimum, the restoration plan must include 52
a preliminary plan for the restoration of the existing reef, the 53
restoration of any nearby natural reefs that were destroyed by 54
the tire installation, the shifting of resources from tire 55
retrieval to reef restoration, and coordination with other coral 56
reef restoration projects and resources. 57
(b) Upon completion of the plan, the department shall 58
provide a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker 59
of the House of Representatives. The report must include an 60
update on the status of the restoration plan and any 61
recommendations for statutory changes necessary to achieve the 62
identified restoration goals. 63
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 64