SUBJECT
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Heartland Headwaters Act Member Agreement Amendments (Action)
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DESCRIPTION
The Florida Legislature passed HB 573, known as the Heartland Headwaters Protection and Sustainability Act, which recognizes the importance of water resources in and around Polk County. The Act declared that fostering partnerships between Regional Water Supply Authority and local governments is in the state interest, and in doing so requires that the Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC) prepare an annual comprehensive report listing projects that are needed to protect and restore the region’s water resources so that these may be considered for state funding support. The Annual report must be submitted to the State by December 1 of each year.
The Florida Legislature and Governor appropriated $7,122,052 for PRWC projects in FY 2019-2020 and FY 2021-22 and the PRWC has executed an agreement (LPA0212) with the FDEP for these funds. The table below shows how a portion of the funds will be distributed to the PRWC member governments. The FDEP requested the PRWC pass the funds through the PRWC to the members for this funding cycle.
Contract agreements with the four local governments receiving funds (Eagle Lake, Winter Haven, Frostproof, and Polk County) were executed in the fall of 2022. Subsequently, the FDEP and PRWC have amended their agreement to provide additional time and clarification on how the funds can be used by the members receiving funds. Because of these amendments, the PRWC needs to amend the member agreements as well.
RECOMMENDATION
There is minimal fiscal impact to the PRWC in passing the funds from FDEP to the Member Governments through these contract amendments.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approve the Heartland Headwaters Act Member Agreement Amendments for FY2021-2022.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Eric DeHaven