Senate Approves Florida Forever Successor

Senate Bill 542 reauthorizes Florida Forever for another 10 years at $300 million annually

Tallahassee, FL — April 23, 2008 — On April 23, the Florida Senate approved unanimously the Florida Forever successor bill (Senate bill 542). The bill reauthorizes Florida Forever for another 10 years at $300 million annually. The changes made to the bill on the floor on April 23 include:

1) allocation of a regular, annual Florida Forever allotment of 3.5% ($10.5 million) to a new “working lands” programs to be administrated by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The “working lands” program would exist to protect working agricultural lands through the use of conservation easements.

2) reduction of the regular, annual funding to Florida Communities Trust from 22% ($66 million) of Florida Forever to 21% ($63 million).

3) allocation of a regular, annual allotment of 2.5% ($7.5 million) to a new “working waterfronts” program to be housed in the Florida Communities Trust and administrated jointly with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The “working waterfronts” program would exist to protect working and historic commercial properties through the use of conservation easements. The program would be named the “Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts” program in honor the termed-out House Natural Resources Council Chairman.

The contents of the Senate bill — and its passage by the Senate — are due to the strong leadership of Senate President Ken Pruitt and Environmental Preservation Committee Chairman Burt Saunders.

On April 21, the House Policy and Budget Council approved its version of the Florida Forever successor bill, but it has not yet been scheduled for House floor action.

The Nature Conservancy and its partners in the Florida Forever Coalition strongly support the Senate's Florida Forever successor bill.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. With funding from the voter approved Florida Forever program and our generous donors the Conservancy has helped protect more than 1.2 million acres in Florida since 1961. Visit us on the Web at nature.org/florida.

The Florida Forever Coalition is an organization of more than 150 groups that cross all stakeholders. More than half of Florida’s 67 counties and 19 cities have passed resolutions in support of Florida Forever and the need for a successor program. For more information visit www.supportfloridaforever.org.