SLS 21RS-171 ENGROSSED 2021 Regular Session SENATE BILL NO. 122 BY SENATORS ALLAIN, HENSGENS, HEWITT AND FRED MILLS AND REPRESENTATIVE BISHOP Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana. COASTAL RESOURCES. Provides for monies collected from enforcement actions of coastal use permits. (8/1/21) 1 AN ACT 2 To amend and reenact R.S. 49:214.36(E), (J), and (O)(2), relative to the Coastal Zone 3 Management Program; to provide for enforcement actions; to provide for the 4 imposition of civil liability, the assessment of damages, and court orders; to provide 5 for distribution of monies collected; to provide for the use of funds; and to provide 6 for related matters. 7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 8 Section 1. R.S. 49:214.36(E), (J), and (O)(2), are hereby amended and reenacted to 9 read as follows: 10 §214.36. Enforcement; injunction; penalties and fines 11 * * * 12 E. A court may impose civil liability and assess damages; order, where 13 feasible and practical, the payment of the restoration costs; require, where feasible 14 and practical, actual restoration of areas disturbed; or otherwise impose reasonable 15 and proper sanctions for uses conducted within the coastal zone without a coastal use 16 permit where a coastal use permit is required or which are not in accordance with the 17 terms and conditions of a coastal use permit. Any monies collected for the payment Page 1 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 122 SLS 21RS-171 ENGROSSED 1 of restoration costs shall be expended in a manner consistent with Subsection J 2 of this Section. The court in its discretion may award costs and reasonable attorney's 3 attorney fees to the prevailing party. 4 * * * 5 J.(1) The monies collected by the state under the provisions of this Section 6 shall be deposited as follows: 7 (1) The monies collected by the secretary for violations relating to use of 8 state concern shall be used for the following purposes only, in the proportions stated: 9 (a) Fifty After deducting the costs to reimburse the Department of 10 Natural Resources for the expenses incurred enforcing the provisions of this 11 Subpart, seventy-five percent of the monies collected shall be used to reimburse the 12 Department of Natural Resources for the cost of enforcing the provisions of this 13 Subpart, and shall be deposited in the Coastal Resources Trust Fund, as provided in 14 R.S. 49:214.40 placed in the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund 15 established in Article VII, Section 10.2 of the Constitution of Louisiana and used 16 for projects that are consistent with Paragraph (O)(2) of this Section. 17 (b) Twenty-five percent of the monies collected shall be placed in local 18 government mitigation banks established in accordance with R.S. 49:214.41 and the 19 rules and regulations adopted thereunder. In the event there is no local government 20 mitigation bank for the area in which the adverse impact is located, the monies 21 shall be deposited in a restricted fund administered by the parish governing 22 authority of the parish or parishes in which the adverse impact related to the 23 use is located. Such funds shall only be used for projects consistent with 24 Paragraph (O)(2) of this Section within or for the benefit of areas within the 25 geographic borders of that parish. 26 (c) Twenty-five percent of the monies collected shall be placed in the 27 Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Fund established in Article VII, Section 10.2 28 of the Constitution of Louisiana. 29 (2) The monies collected by the secretary, the attorney general, an Page 2 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 122 SLS 21RS-171 ENGROSSED 1 appropriate district attorney, or a local government with an approved program 2 under the provisions of this Section, for violations relating to a use of local concern 3 shall be placed in local government mitigation banks established in accordance with 4 R.S. 49:214.41 and the rules and regulations adopted thereunder. Each local 5 government's mitigation bank shall be credited one hundred percent of the monies 6 collected for violations relating to a use of local concern occurring within its 7 geographic borders, except that for violations occurring within the geographic 8 borders of two or more local governments the monies shall be divided on a pro rata 9 basis and deposited accordingly in the local government's mitigation banks. In the 10 event there is no local government mitigation bank in the parish in which the adverse 11 impact is located, the monies shall be deposited in the Wetlands Conservation and 12 Restoration Fund established in Article VII, Section 10.2 of the Constitution of 13 Louisiana, a restricted fund administered by the parish governing authority of 14 the parish or parishes where the adverse impact related to the use is located and 15 can only be used for mitigation projects within the geographic borders of that local 16 government that are consistent with Paragraph (O)(2) of this Section. 17 * * * 18 O. 19 * * * 20 (2) Any monies received by any state or local governmental entity arising 21 from or related to a state or federal permit issued pursuant to R.S. 49:214.21 et seq., 22 33 U.S.C. §1344, or 33 U.S.C. §408, a violation thereof, or enforcement thereof, or 23 for damages or other relief arising from or related to any of the foregoing, or for 24 damages or other relief arising from or related to any use as defined by R.S. 25 49:214.23(13) shall be used for integrated coastal protection, including coastal 26 restoration, hurricane protection, and improving the resiliency of the coastal area. 27 * * * Page 3 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 122 SLS 21RS-171 ENGROSSED The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Tyler S. McCloud. DIGEST SB 122 Engrossed 2021 Regular Session Allain Present law establishes a coastal zone management program within the Dept. of Natural Resources and administered by the secretary of the department. The program includes regulation of the application and issuance of a coastal use permit prior to commencing a use of state or local concern in the coastal zone. Present law authorizes a court to impose civil liability and assess damages, order the payment of the restoration costs, require actual restoration of areas disturbed, or otherwise impose reasonable and proper sanctions for uses in the coastal zone that were either without a coastal use permit or not in accordance with the terms and conditions of a coastal use permit. Present law requires that any monies received by any state or local governmental entity arising from or related to a state or federal permit issued pursuant to the State and Local Coastal Resource Management Act of 1978, a violation thereof, or enforcement thereof, or for damages or other relief arising from or related to any of the foregoing, or for damages or other relief arising from or related to any use as defined by present law, be used for integrated coastal protection, including coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and improving the resiliency of the coastal area. Proposed law retains present law. Proposed law requires any monies collected for the payment of restoration costs be expended consistent with present law. Present law authorizes the court to award costs and reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party. Proposed law retains present law. Present law provides for the distribution of monies collected from enforcement actions for uses of state concerns as follows: (1)50% deposited into the Coastal Resources Trust Fund for reimbursement to the department for the cost of enforcing the coastal zone management program. (2)25% deposited in the local government's mitigation banks. (3)25% deposited in the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Fund. Proposed law changes the deposit from 50% to the Coastal Resources Trust Fund to 75% to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund for projects consistent with present law after deducting the cost to reimburse the department for enforcing the coastal zone management program. Proposed law retains present law by requiring 25% be deposited in local government mitigation banks. Proposed law further provides that when no local government mitigation bank exists, the funds are deposited into a restricted fund administered by the parish governing authority of the parish or parishes in which the adverse impact related to the use is located. Proposed law requires the funds be used for projects consistent with present law and within or for the benefit of areas within the geographic borders of that parish. Proposed law removes the 25% deposit to the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Fund. Present law provides that 100% of monies collected by the secretary from enforcement actions for uses of local concerns be deposited in local government mitigation banks. Present Page 4 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 122 SLS 21RS-171 ENGROSSED law provides for a pro rata division in cases involving two or more local governments. Present law provides for the monies deposited in the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Fund to be used only for mitigation projects within the geographic borders of that local government in the event there is no local government mitigation bank. Proposed law expands monies subject to present law from monies collected by the secretary to monies collected by the secretary, the attorney general, an appropriate district attorney, or a local government with an approved program. Proposed law changes the deposit in the event no local government mitigation bank exists, from the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Fund to a restricted fund administered by the parish governing authority of the parish or parishes in which the adverse impact related to the use is located. Proposed law requires the funds be used for projects consistent with present law and within or for the benefit of areas within the geographic borders of that parish. Effective August 1, 2021. (Amends R.S. 49:214.36(E), (J), and (O)(2)) Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Natural Resources to the original bill 1. Increases the portion of the monies collected deposited into the Coastal Resources Trust Fund from 50% to 75%. 2. Removes the 25% deposit to the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Fund. Page 5 of 5 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions.