Last week, the Governor’s Office presented its Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-14. The Environmental Budget totals approximately $3 Billion, or roughly 4% of the total $74.2 Billion budget. No surprise, the largest percentage of the total budget is allocated to Health and Human Services at approximately $31 Billion (41.7%) followed by Education at approximately $22 Billion (29.7%).
The Governor’s Recommended Environmental Budget is further broken down as follows:
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION - $1.2 Billion
• $60 million for Everglades Restoration
• $75 million for Florida Forever
• $25 million for Beach Restoration Projects
• $135 million for Petroleum Tank Cleanup Projects
• $19 million for State Park Repairs and Enhancements/Remove Access Barriers
• $269.8 million for Water Resource and Restoration Programs
$142.7 million for Wastewater Treatment Facility Construction
$23.3 million for Small Community Wastewater Grants
$72.9 million for Drinking Water Facility Construction
$6.4 million for Total Maximum Daily Loads
$14.4 million for Nonpoint Source Management Planning
$7.1 million for Increases to Springs Restoration and Protection
$3 million for Apalachicola Bay Restoration Projects
Reductions
DEP - $12.3 million and 125 positions
District offices - $3.6M and 78 positions
Water Resources Management - $1.1M and 14 positions
Air Resources Management program efficiencies - $l million
AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER SERVICES - $1.4 Billion
• $4 million for Citrus Research
• $6.1 million for Citrus Health Response Program ($500,000 CHMAs)
• $500,000 for Expansion of Budwood Facility
• $3 million for Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protections Areas
• $1.5 million for Agricultural Best Management Practices
• $3.8 million for Giant African Land Snail Eradication Program
• $3.1 million for Replacement of Wildfire Suppression Equipment
• $2.5 million for Additional Authority for School Lunch and Breakfast Programs
Reductions
DACS - $7.7 million and 24 positions
Soil-Based Sensors Project -$4 million
Excess Unfunded Federal Budget Authority- $2.3 million
Vacant Positions - $786,753 and 17 FTEs
Closure of Live Oak Lab - $379,514 and 7 FTEs
FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION - 293.6 million
- $3.3 million for Federal Boating Safety and Improvement Grants
• $1.8 million for Florida Boating Improvement Program
• $1.4 million for Triple N Shooting Park
• $800,000 for Artificial Reef Construction
• $595,000 for Wildlife Management Area Land Improvements
Reductions
$6.5 million in unfunded federal budget authority
