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February 2025, Volume 27, Issue 2

Thank you to our Newsletter Sponsors!

 Table of Contents

Save the Date for FSA's 2025 Annual Conference!

Mark your calendars for the highly anticipated FSA 2025 Annual Conference! Join us from June 11-13, 2025, at the Sanibel Harbour Marriott in Ft. Myers for an unforgettable experience. This year's theme is Navigating Stormwater: Past Insights, Future Solutions. Get ready to dive into engaging discussions, innovative solutions, and valuable networking opportunities. Save the date and get ready for an unforgettable experience! This will be our final year hosting the event at the Sanibel Harbour Marriott, so we hope you’ll join us to bid farewell and show our appreciation for all they’ve done for FSA. Registration will open in March!

p.s. Congratulations to FSA member, Jessica Shilling with the City of Lakeland who won a free FSA Annual Conference registration as our thank you for completing FSA’s recent membership survey!

FSA and FSAEF Board Elections in June

The Florida Stormwater Association (FSA) and the FSA Educational Foundation (FSAEF) will be holding elections to fill vacancies on their Boards of Directors during this year's FSA Annual Conference. We are seeking dynamic leaders who are dedicated to ensuring the continued success of the Association. This is an opportunity for you to play a key role in leading the primary association dedicated to advancing the stormwater management profession and water quality improvement programs in Florida.

What's in it for you?

  • An opportunity to enhance the value and set the direction of FSA and FSAEF
  • A significant role in advancing your profession and water quality programs
  • Access to up-to-date information about the challenges facing your profession
  • The chance to exchange ideas and perspectives with other volunteer leaders

We want to hear from you! Please submit your Board of Directors Nomination Form to FSA by June 2, 2025. Recommendations received after the deadline, including nominations made from the floor at the Annual Membership Meeting, will be accepted. However, candidate details cannot be included in the upcoming Elections page of FSA’s website. Thank you for your interest in shaping the future of FSA and FSAEF!

A Wild Start to 2025 Florida Legislative Session

The 2025 Florida Legislative Session is off to a wild start, with legislators already clashing with the Governor over illegal immigration issues. Despite the Session not officially beginning, three Special Sessions have been completed, bridges have been burned and rebuilt, compromises have been reached, and a final set of bills addressing illegal immigration are in the works. It’s safe to say that 2025 has been quite the roller coaster ride so far.

The focus on illegal immigration has resulted in fewer bills being filed early in the 2025 Session, with many committee meetings being canceled. However, once the dust settled on the immigration debate, legislators wasted no time submitting a variety of bills. From legislation impacting water management districts (SB 7002) to bills addressing septic system technology (SB 796 & HB 645) and guidelines for coastal resiliency (SB 50 & HR 371), there is no shortage of important issues being addressed.

One particularly noteworthy bill is the State Park Preservation Act (SB 80) which could have significant implications for what can and cannot be built in state parks. Additionally, there are preemption bills on the docket, along with efforts to revise procedural changes to rulemaking processes. Bills like SB 108, HB 305, and HB 433 seek to update Administrative Procedures which propose to streamline the way rules are created, reviewed, and potentially sunsetted and require readoption. Two bills of concern are SB 712, which prohibits local governments from enforcing rules that prevent property owners from installing synthetic turf, potentially leading to flooding issues, and SB 810, which mandates annual inspections of facilities for flood impacts and reporting to the Department of Emergency Management. FSA has been actively engaging with representatives to discuss and monitor the progress of bills impacting stormwater and water policy. Watch for FSA’s weekly Priorities Issues document released every Friday. As the legislative session unfolds, it’s clear that there are many important issues at stake that will impact the future of Florida.

Members should note that discussions have been held regarding the costs associated with the Statewide Stormwater Rule, which was passed and ratified during the 2024 Legislative Session. FSA is currently collaborating to maintain the Stormwater Rule in its current form, preventing any further compromises during this Session. Although no bills have been officially filed related to the Rule, there is a possibility that of this in the near future. FSA firmly believes that additional exemptions, beyond what was granted in 2024 are unnecessary. It is important to note that the core of the Statewide Stormwater Rule, nutrient reduction requirements, are not effective until the end of 2025.

FDEP Nonpoint Source Management Grants Available

The FDEP Nonpoint Source Program has funding available for a wide suite of projects including stormwater treatment projects aimed at reducing or eliminating nonpoint source nutrient pollution in verified impaired waterbodies, best management practices (BMPs) to address nonpoint source pollution, and public education programs to prevent pollution and septic-to-sewer on private property. Financial assistance is available to Florida's local governments, including counties, municipalities and special districts, water management districts, other state agencies, public universities/colleges and national estuary programs located in Florida. The ability to submit a proposal is open until March 31, 2025, and more information can be found on the FDEP Protecting Florida Together grant portal.

Federal Changes, From Policies to Workforce

The Federal government is currently undergoing significant changes, including policy overhauls, spending reviews, and workforce reductions. You name it, it is happening and most likely being reported on the evening news. Federal environmental policies are receiving significant scrutiny, including the regulation of PFAS. Legislation introduced in 2024, which provided protections from CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Act) to receivers of PFAS pollution, namely wastewater and drinking water facilities, has been reintroduced (HR 1267), and could see passage during future congressional sessions. PFAS, along with other Biden Administration rules initiated in 2024, all face major hurdles moving forward. The funding freeze and now in-depth budgetary reviews, along with a significant reduction in federal staff, are impacting projects nationwide. States utilizing federal dollars are starting to see delays and questions for funding availability. We are also seeing staff reductions impact the pace of funding allocations, and the delivery of project funding is facing serious questions. As EPA leadership and administration is confirmed, many of these rumored initiatives will most likely take place, and FSA will report on items as they take place.

FDEP BMAP Updates Available

2025 is a big year for Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) as requirements associated with the Clean Waterways Act and HB 1379 (passed in 2024) are due July 1, 2025. These requirements, mainly addressing wastewater and septic systems upgrades, will be discussed at upcoming FDEP meetings with stakeholders. We would recommend any entity in a BMAP area pay close attention, as the allocation process is being updated for all BMAPs and entities that have not had an allocation in the past may be provided one now, or existing allocations may be revised. An allocation may lead to the need for additional projects to meet BMAP requirements.

FDEP Statewide Monitoring Plan Available

FDEP has released the 2025 Statewide Monitoring Plan (SMP) including related GIS shapefiles. The SMP provides information on assessment procedures for state waters and includes types of parameters collected, number of samples proposed for water quality sites, and biological monitoring if proposed.

FDEP Notice - Updates to Construction General NPDES Permit

A notice to update the Construction General NPDES permit has been released by FDEP. The notice identified that FDEP will be updating the “Generic Permit for Stormwater Discharge from Large and Small Construction Activities” and associated components of the generic permit. At this time a draft update of the revisions has not been posted, but FSA will stay in contact with FDEP as this update moves forward, and notify the FSA membership when/if the hearing is posted.

Scholarships Available for Florida Graduate Students Interested in Stormwater

The FSA Educational Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of its Scholarship Program, designed to provide financial assistance to graduate students in Florida pursuing studies in stormwater research, management or finance. In 2025, the Foundation will be awarding a minimum of $2,000 to each selected recipient.

Applications are now open for graduate students enrolled in colleges or schools of engineering, natural science, public administration, or related fields with a focus on stormwater quality, management or finance. To be considered for the scholarship, interested candidates must submit a completed Application Form by August 8, 2025. Please help us spread the word by sharing this information with eligible students!

AI in Action for Stormwater Management Webinar

Join us March 14, 2025 from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. EDT for FSA’s AI in Action for Stormwater Management Webinar. New Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning systems have the potential to enhance stormwater management. These systems can automate routine tasks, streamline data management, assist in design calculations, optimize stormwater controls, and improve communication and collaboration. Join us in exploring the practical applications of AI in daily activities such as communication, technical writing, and data analysis. We will also examine how AI can improve our current stormwater management systems' resilience and water quality performance through a combination of real-time controls and advanced machine learning algorithms. This event is brought to FSA members free of charge thanks to the sponsorship of Applied Sciences. Also new this year, FSA is now offering continuing education for all webinar attendees. Register today to save your seat!

Does Your Stormwater Operator Certification Expire in 2025?

Don’t let your FSA Stormwater Operator certification expire! The first opportunity to renew in 2025 will be through online webinars held on April 9, 2025. FSA Certifications must be renewed every five years. The Fogarty Training Center offers Online Recertification Webinars that provide a convenient, cost-effective way to renew your certification. Register today for Level 1 and/or Level 2.

Not sure when your certification expires? Log in to your personal FSA profile, scroll down to find your Level 1 and/or Level 2 expiration year or you can view the Stormwater Operator Certification Renewal Date List.

The Original Industry Standard for Florida Stormwater Practitioners!

The FSA Fogarty Training Center offers online and in-person Level 1 and Level 2 Stormwater Operator Certification Courses. FSA's Stormwater Operator Certification Training helps to fulfill FDEP's training requirements of your MS4 permit for appropriate stormwater management personnel in Illicit Discharge Inspections; Spill Prevention and Response; Good Housekeeping; Construction Site Plan Review; and Construction Site Inspections!

Visit the Level 1 Course page for more details and a full list of dates and locations.

Visit the Level 2 Course page for more details and a full list of dates and locations.
Don't forget to check for when you are up for recertification! Registration for the April Webinars is now open!
  • Level 1 - April 9, 2025 - 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Eastern / Online
  • Level 2 - April 9, 2025 - 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. Eastern / Online

 We appreciate your feedback! Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about FSA.