FL H1073

Expands eligibility for purchasing water quality enhancement credits from government-only entities to include private sector applicants seeking to achieve net water quality improvement or satisfy environmental resource permit performance standards under s. 373.414(1)(b)3.

Requires the Department of Environmental Protection and water management districts to authorize the sale and use of enhancement credits to applicants, and directs them to encourage establishment of private mitigation banks on local government land in credit-deficient basins.

Defines "credit-deficient basin" as a drainage basin where at least one previously permitted mitigation bank on non-governmental land has exhausted one or more habitat type credits (forested freshwater, nonforested freshwater, forested saltwater, or nonforested saltwater) and pending applications are unlikely to alleviate the shortage.

Allows local governments to use competitive procurement processes to consider private sector proposals for mitigation banks on local government land, including conservation lands, subject to a use agreement requiring the private applicant to provide bid/performance security of at least 5% of total bid amount, operate the bank until success criteria are met, and fund all financial assurances without use of public funds.

Prohibits increasing the uniform mitigation assessment method location factor score for mitigation banks on local government land solely due to proximity to existing conservation lands, and provides that credit deficiency is confirmed at use agreement execution, allowing the bank application to proceed even if the deficiency is later relieved. Effective July 1, 2024.