CS/HB 371 2025
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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
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to nature -based methods for improving 2
coastal resilience; amending s. 380.0933, F.S.; 3
requiring the Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research 4
and Innovation at the University of South Florida 5
College of Marine Science to develop design guideli nes 6
and standards for green and gray infrastructure and 7
models for conceptual designs of green infrastructure 8
and green-gray infrastructure; providing reporting 9
requirements; creating s. 380.0938, F.S.; requiring 10
the Department of Environmental Protection to develop 11
specified guidelines for nature -based methods for 12
coastal resilience and to finalize and publish the 13
guidelines by a specified date; requiring the 14
department to encourage local governments to 15
participate in certain restoration efforts; providing 16
an effective date. 17
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WHEREAS, the coastline is a critical state resource that 19
benefits the public interest by providing economic benefits, 20
such as flood control, fishing, recreation, and navigation, and 21
natural habitat and biodiversity functions, such as improved 22
water quality and habitat for endangered and threatened species 23
and other flora and fauna, and 24
WHEREAS, rising sea levels and an increasing frequency of 25
CS/HB 371 2025
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adverse weather events pose a significant risk to people and 26
property along the coastline and threaten the public benefits 27
and functions offered by the coastline, and 28
WHEREAS, as identified in the Miami -Dade Back Bay Coastal 29
Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study, natural infrastructure, 30
including mangrove stands, living seawalls, and other nature-31
based designs, can play an essential role in improving coastal 32
resilience and mitigating harm to this state's coastlines, and 33
WHEREAS, the Legislature intends to promote state and local 34
efforts to restore mangrove forests along the coastline and 35
further study the impact of other nature -based methods on this 36
state's coastal resilience and economic development, NOW, 37
THEREFORE, 38
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 40
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Section 1. Present paragraphs (c) through (i) of 42
subsection (2) of section 380.0933, Florida Statutes, are 43
redesignated as paragraphs (g) through (m), respectively, new 44
paragraphs (c) through (f) are added to subsection (2), and a 45
new subsection (6) is added to that section, to read: 46
380.0933 Florida Flood Hub fo r Applied Research and 47
Innovation.— 48
(2) The hub shall, at a minimum: 49
(c) Develop design guidelines and standards for optimal 50
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combinations of green and gray infrastructure to address sea 51
level rise and the impact of storm surges. 52
(d) Model the effects , including flood risk reduction and 53
socio-economic benefits, of conceptual designs of green 54
infrastructure and hybrid green -gray infrastructure, and 55
integration of green natural systems into gray infrastructure 56
systems, on this state's coastal resilience. 57
(e) Identify areas of significant erosion. 58
(f) Identify strategies and methods to minimize impacts to 59
mangroves and other native shoreline vegetation. 60
(6) By July 1, 2026, the hub shall submit a report 61
summarizing the design guidelines and standards developed 62
pursuant to paragraph (2)(c) and the modeled effects of 63
conceptual designs developed pursuant to paragraph (2)(d) to the 64
Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the 65
House of Representatives. 66
Section 2. Section 380.0938, Flo rida Statutes, is created 67
to read: 68
380.0938 Nature-based methods for improving coastal 69
resilience.— 70
(1) By July 1, 2027, the Department of Environmental 71
Protection shall develop and publish on its website guidelines 72
governing nature-based methods for improving coastal resilience. 73
The guidelines must identify all of the following: 74
(a) Threats to mangroves and other native shoreline 75
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vegetation. 76
(b) Strategies that may be used for new developments to 77
avoid or mitigate their impacts on mangrove s and other native 78
shoreline vegetation. 79
(c) Ways that mangroves, other native shoreline 80
vegetation, and living shorelines may protect barrier and spoil 81
islands. 82
(d) Areas or regions of the state in which the use of 83
mangroves, other native shoreline vegetation, and living 84
shorelines, or other nature -based infrastructure, could 85
alleviate coastal erosion. 86
(2) The department shall encourage local governmental 87
entities to develop or participate in: 88
(a) Mangrove planting and hydrological restoration 89
programs; and 90
(b) Restoration and enhancement of oyster reefs, salt 91
marshes, and coral reefs. 92
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 93