HB 979 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0979-00
Page 1 of 2
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
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to deepwater port dredging; amending 2
s. 403.816, F.S.; directing the Department of 3
Environmental Protection to require a specified 4
analysis as a condition of permits issued for 5
maintenance dredging of deepwater ports; providing 6
requirements for conducting the analysis; requiring a 7
local government to provide notice of its intent to 8
conduct the analysis to certain local governments; 9
providing an effective date. 10
11
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12
13
Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 403.816, Florida 14
Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (4), and a new subsection 15
(3) is added to that section to read: 16
403.816 Permits for maintenance dredging of deepwater 17
ports and beach restoration projects. — 18
(3) As a condition of a permit issued for maintenance 19
dredging of deepwater ports pursuant to this section, the 20
department shall require a habitat equivalency analysis to 21
determine the adverse impacts of the dredging activity on the 22
natural habitat. The analysis must be conducted by an 23
independent contractor selected by the local government in a 24
manner prescribed by the department. The independent contractor 25
HB 979 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0979-00
Page 2 of 2
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
for the analysis may n ot be associated with any project of the 26
contractor performing the dredging activity for the local 27
government. The local government shall provide written notice of 28
its intent to conduct a habitat equivalency analysis to adjacent 29
local governments that may be impacted by the dredging activity. 30
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 31