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April 2025, Volume 27, Issue 4

Thank you to our Newsletter Sponsors!

 Table of Contents

FSA Annual Conference - Navigating Stormwater: Past Insights, Future Solutions

FSA will host its 2025 Annual Conference focused on Navigating Stormwater: Past Insights, Future Solutions, on June 11-13, 2025 at the Sanibel Harbour Marriott. Wednesday will feature a Community Service Project, and a Pre-Conference Workshop focused on Revolutionizing Flood Forecasting for Resilience and Recovery. Thursday and Friday will feature sessions led by top industry experts and thought leaders discussing regulatory, technical, and management topics crucial to your work. The Conference is at capacity – but you can add your name to the Wait List and FSA will contact you directly if there is any availability.

This will be the final time we gather at the Sanibel Harbour Marriott for FSA’s Annual Conference. With increased participation in the Conference, we will move to a larger venue for the 2026 Annual Conference in an effort to accommodate more participants. Stay tuned for additional information to come soon!

2025 Legislative Session: The Final Stretch

April was an incredibly hectic month for Florida’s Legislature, with committee agendas packed with bills to be considered, budget announcements to be made, and a growing divide between the House and Executive Branch demanding extra attention and effort from legislators. The scheduled conclusion of the 2025 session is set for May 2nd, but there is a possibility of an extension to ensure this year’s budget is finalized.

Bills related to stormwater policy introduced at the start of the session yielded mixed results. Some, such as the Sanitary and Stormwater System Standards bills (SB 1436/HB 739) and the Florida Building Code bills (SB 1548/HB 1477), were not even considered in their assigned committees. On the other hand, the Stormwater Management Systems bill (SB 810) successfully passed through the full Senate.

The Stormwater Management Systems bill (SB 810) has been a major focus for FSA, initially proposing a broad requirement for monitoring, inspecting, and reporting on all stormwater facilities as a solution for flood mitigation. As the bill progressed, the focus shifted towards MS4 entities taking responsibility for addressing flooding at permitted facilities. FSA raised concerns emphasizing that the MS4 permit was intended for water quality, not for addressing flooding from significant events like tropical storms. SB 810 did face a hurdle due to the lack of a companion bill in the House. To address this issue, the language from SB 810 was incorporated into the Senate Emergency Preparedness and Response bill (SB 180), a comprehensive piece of legislation covering storm preparedness, from revising evacuation timing to election alternatives when a tropical storm impacts an area. FSA then shifted focus to work with the sponsor of the House companion bill, Emergencies (HB 1535). The House bill was amended to remove the MS4 obligation and establish a reporting program under FDEP’s authority, requiring the submission of a Flood Inventory and Restoration Report bi-annually to the Department of Emergency Management. This report will identify key infrastructure prone to flooding, prioritize areas for funding to mitigate current or potential flooding issues, and involve collaboration with state agencies, local governments, and public/private owners. As of this newsletter, the House and Senate bills are both progressing as amended.

Several bills of lesser concern successfully passed through the legislative process, including the Construction Regulations bills (SB 712/HB 683), These bills have passed all assigned committees and are now awaiting final approval. The Construction Regulations bills require FDEP to develop regulations for synthetic turf grass on lots smaller than one acre. Once these regulations are in place, local governments will be required to adhere to the rules or procedures outlined. Originally these bills included preemptions for local governments, but these were removed.

FSA will closely monitor the final days of session as last-minute budget details are finalized. Our priority is to ensure that no concerning last-minute items are added to budget materials. FSA members can access Stormwater Legislation resources including daily bill tracking, current news clips, a short list of Priority Issues, and more as session nears its scheduled end date.

Don’t forget to join us on May 15, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern for the only “post Session” webinar focused on Florida’s stormwater legislation! The webinar will examine the impact of this year’s Special Sessions that jumpstarted the fast-paced 2025 Legislative session, analyze the stormwater and environmental policy bills that were introduced (both successfully and unsuccessfully), and provide insights into what to expect for 2026. Register today to save your seat! The webinar is brought to FSA members free of charge thanks to the sponsorship of Applied Sciences.

BMAP Deadlines Approaching - Act Now

FDEP is finalizing all nutrient BMAPs to meet the June 2025 regulatory deadlines. We would recommend all local governments located in any nutrient BMAPs to stay involved and participate in ongoing public meetings. Updated draft BMAPs are posted for review, and most include new allocations that will impact the level of water quality restoration efforts a listed entity needs to achieve to stay in compliance with BMAP requirements. For some, the revisions may not be significant, but for many, an increase in nutrient load reductions requirements could be costly and require new projects to be completed by set BMAP deadlines. We would also recommend looking at pollution source calculations, as new approaches may warrant review and consideration for discussion with FDEP staff. There are a suite of new requirements BMAPs have to meet, from new allocations to addressing growth in the pollution reduction strategies, all of which could impact how local governments address nutrient reductions. Once these BMAPs are adopted, the ability to change components of the BMAPs, and more importantly, requirements, will be extremely difficult to revise so act now before deadlines pass!

FDEP State Revolving Fund Program Virtual Meeting

A public virtual meeting will be held by FDEP on May 14, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., to discuss the issues and recommendations for management of the FY 2025 Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program (CWSRF), Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program (DWSRF), Infrastructure Investment and Recovery Jobs Act (IIJA) funding for both programs, Intended Use Plans (IUPs) for the programs as applicable, and priority lists of projects to be funded with loans under Chapter 62-503 and Chapter 62-552, Florida Administrative Code, respectively. To attend the meeting, send a request to [email protected] with a request to attend the meeting in the subject line.

Federal Programs Draft Revisions to Endangered Species Act Definition

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service have released proposed revisions to the implementation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The new language removes habitat modification from the definition of “harm", a move which focuses the definition more on the “take” of an organism under consideration. This modification could potentially affect projects in Florida that are currently being evaluated for habitat loss as part of the ESA compliance process. Critics view the revision as part of the new administration’s broader agenda to deregulate and roll back environmental protections. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments on the proposed changes through the federal regulatory website by May 19, 2025.

FSA’s Educational Foundation is Providing Scholarships!

The FSA Educational Foundation’s Scholarship provides financial assistance to eligible graduate students enrolled in Florida colleges and universities. Each year, applications are open to graduate-level students studying engineering, natural science, public administration, or related fields with a focus on stormwater quality, management, or finance. Please help us spread the word! Interested candidates must submit an application and supporting materials by August 8, 2025.

Board Elections Coming in June

FSA is looking for dynamic leaders dedicated to ensuring the continued success of the Association. There will be elections to fill vacancies on the Boards of Directors of the Florida Stormwater Association (FSA) and the FSA Educational Foundation (FSAEF) during the Friday Annual Membership Meeting at the Annual Conference. This is your chance to help lead the primary association dedicated to furthering the stormwater management profession and water quality improvement programs in Florida.

What’s in it for you?

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

Hurry, nominations must be submitted by June 2nd! We want to hear from you! If you’re interested in serving or if you know of a member that you would like to recommend, please complete a Board of Directors Nomination Form today! View our 2025 Nominations here.

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.

FSA’s November 5th Level 1 and Level 2 Recertification Now Open - The Level 1 and Level 2 Recertification courses provide previously trained Certified Stormwater Operators with updated information to ensure that the most current standards and best management practices are being followed within stormwater management systems. Check the FSA Stormwater Operator Certification Renewal Date List for your certification's expiration date.

  • Level 1 – November 5, 2025 - 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Eastern / Online
  • Level 2 – November 5, 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.