FL H1297

Department of Environmental Protection must review data on beaches that have been preemptively and repeatedly repaired using private, local, state, and federal funds when designating beaches as critically eroded

Beaches must be designated critically eroded if the local government has preserved funding for the state strategic beach management plan and possesses a perpetual easement requiring shoreline maintenance, combined with geological features causing repeated inland flooding or structural damage

DEP Secretary may require coastal local governments to develop local strategic beach management plans analyzing compound flooding, upland property values, environmentally sensitive areas, and recommendations from coastal engineers and the Army Corps of Engineers

Low elevation coastal sections repeatedly breached by seawater or designated in prolonged local emergency declarations are added to areas eligible for critical state concern designation

Effective date: July 1, 2026