October 2025, Volume 27, Issue 9
Table of Contents
A Message from FSA’s Conference Committee Chair
Mike Hardin, Conference Committee Chair, Geosyntec Consultants
 FSA’s Winter Conference attendee registration is open and there’s still time to secure your spot! This Winter Conference will take place at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando in Lake Buena Vista South from Wednesday, December 3rd to Friday, December 5th. This is the same beautiful facility where we had our last Winter Conference and recent Fall Seminar. We are excited to see everyone again to share ideas and grow our personal connections. As always, these events are a can't miss!
The Florida Stormwater Association strives to be your best source for stormwater education, product information, and networking. This year’s conference will feature a pre-conference tour of Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) in the Orlando area as well as a pre-conference workshop about managing stormwater infrastructure. The Orlando GSI tour will be an excellent opportunity to see some GSI in action! While GSI has been around for a little while, it is always great to see how it is applied in the wild and learn about what worked vs what did not. Additionally, the pre-conference workshop will demonstrate some innovative approaches to managing GSI assets and innovative funding approaches. As a friendly reminder, all conference attendees are eligible to receive continuing education credits.
We hope you’ll join us for the last event of the year, we look forward to seeing you there!
Support FSA Education – Patron Sponsorships Available!
Are you looking for a way to show your commitment to the stormwater community? Seeking an opportunity to share your products with Florida’sstormwater professionals? If so, show your commitment and interact with stormwater professionals as a Winter Conference sponsor! The Winter Conference will be held Wednesday, December 3rd to Friday, December 5 th at Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista South in Kissimmee, Florida and is a great opportunity to promote your organization. Learn more or sign up to sponsor today.
First Round of 2026 Legislative Session Interim Meetings Held
Interim committee meetings for the 2026 session kicked off in October, with the first two weeks of the month having meetings and workshops covering a wide range of topics, from health care reform to overviews on the environmental health of Lake Okeechobee, to what will be a major topic this session: revisions to how Florida handles taxes. Legislators have already spent significant time proposing ways to revise homestead rules, reduce property taxes, and even considered eliminating property taxes. In his October 16 memorandum, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez outlined a series of proposed bills targeting property tax reductions. How these proposals progress as the legislative session approaches will be important to watch. Any changes to the state’s tax structure could have a sweeping impact on all sectors, including the funding of stormwater and environmental projects.
The Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) presented at first interim committee meetings and provided information to legislators on recent audits of state government agencies, requiring agency leadership to answer questions on audit findings. As DOGE continues to make rounds on auditing local governments, they may present language to legislators that could impact local government funding, abilities to develop new or existing policies, or even submit penalties due to findings.
At this time, we have seen a few bills targeting stormwater, including one that focuses on requiring new stormwater systems to follow FDOT standards) House Bill (HB) 239, submitted by Representative Grow, rehashes the idea of using FDOT standards local government stormwater systems, with this bill only focusing on new systems being installed. HB 239 includes a provision that only inspections can be done by third-party representatives and prohibits local government staff from doing any inspections for projects. Representative Grow submitted a similar bill during the 2025 session (HB 739) which did not pass, and many local governments and industry members had significant questions on project impacts and the issue with one standard for all stormwater projects. FSA will continue to monitor activities as bills are filed and will be reaching out to representatives that file any bill focusing on stormwater policy and management. Legislators will continue to meet prior to the January 13, 2026, session start date, with interim meetings scheduled for early November and December. To see all the bills that FSA is tracking, visit FSA’s Legislative page.
2026 FSA Events – Save the Date!
Fall is in the air and 2025 is coming to an end. As you prepare for 2026 be sure to get FSA’s events on your calendar! Save the date now to join us next year for FSA’s preeminent stormwater education:
- Webinars - March 19, 2026, and May 7, 2026 – Free Online Events
- Annual Conference - June 17-19, 2026 – Sunseeker Resort
- Fall Seminar - September 4, 2026 – Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista South
- Winter Conference - December 2-4, 2026 – Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista South
Stay tuned for more details including the release of the Annual Conference Call for Presentations in November!
FDEP Holds Everglades West Coast Basin TMDL Addressing Bacteria Impairments
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) held a public workshop covering the revised draft fecal indicator bacteria Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for impaired surface waters in the Everglades West Coast Basin. This TMDL, from the report structure to the methods to calculate load estimates, is considered the template for future fecal indicator bacteria TMDLs in the state. FSA members located in bacteria - impaired watersheds should review and stay aware, as some questions on the implementation of the TMDL were discussed during the workshop. After presenting the revised TMDL document, numerous local governments requested further information on the flow dependent load assessments, a new approach included in this TMDL. FDEP noted that this new component was requested by the USEPA and included to assist with federal approval. Local governments also requested that more real-world examples of load calculations are developed and how they would be incorporated into state permits, including NDPES and MS4 permits. Written comments for the TMDL will be accepted through October 31, 2025. For more information and access to the draft materials, visit FDEP’s TMDL Program webpage or contact FSA with questions.
LAST CHANCE to Register for the November 5th Recertification Courses is Today!
Registration will close today, Friday, October 31st for the Stormwater Operator Recertification Courses. FSA Stormwater Operator 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 for Level 1 and/or Level 2 today!
FDEP Draft Rule for Living Shorelines
FDEP has proposed a draft rule to amend portions of Chapter 62-330, F.A.C. and create a new rule that creates a General Permit for the Installation, Construction, and Maintenance of Living Shorelines. The rule notice states these changes will simplify and clarify rule language, increase efficiency, add protection for the environment, and improve coordination with other agencies. As resiliency efforts increase statewide, there is hope that this rule will further assist practitioners with the development and implementation of living shorelines, which can take significant time and resources to complete project permitting requirements. A workshop will be held November 7, 2025, 10:00 a.m. in person in Tallahassee and available virtually for those not able to attend in person. A link to register for virtual attendance, and all draft rule documents, is available via the FDEP rule making website.
Senate Bill 180 Challenges Grown and Proposed Legislative Fixes
SB 180 faces further legal scrutiny, with an additional challenge being filed by 1000 Friends of Florida in October. This challenge, along with the previous challenge from local governments, targets two sections of the bill that significantly impacts local governance efforts, and the retroactive clause that exempts many policy decisions finalized long before any impacts from tropical storms. The foundation for both challenges questions how far SB 180 has impacted home rule standings, and now, state legislators are starting to submit bills to internally fix these issues. Two bills have been filed for review during the 2026 session, SB 218 and House Bill (HB) 217, both narrowing the focus on what local governments are impacted by SB 180 provisions. Each bill defines what a “Local Government” is impacted by the provisions, specially noting that counties designated under federal disaster declarations for Hurricanes Debby, Helene, or Milton, as well as any municipality within those counties are the ones falling under these rules. These bills would limit the impacts to some communities but overall do not reduce any of the governance impacts nor remove the proactive provisions. We can assume these are just the first in a series of efforts to revise SB 180 provisions, as many representatives, including the sponsor for SB 180, have stated there needs to be changes as the current bill does overreach and go beyond what was originally intended. FSA continues to collaborate with other associations developing potential legislative language aimed at addressing the bill’s unintended consequences.
Federal Government Shutdown Impacts
The ongoing federal government shutdown is beginning to significantly impact programs such as environmental permitting and regulatory review. With limited staffing, federal agencies are being forced to prioritize resources – slowing the processing of existing permits and halting the acceptance of new ones, including those related to wetlands and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This lack of permit activity could affect a wide range of projects, from environmental restoration and infrastructure to development efforts requiring wetland and Section 404 approvals. Funding programs are also feeling the strain, with uncertainty around the distribution of new project funds through the State Revolving Fund (SRF) and nonpoint source programs. As federal leadership continues negotiations, FSA will closely monitor updates and track the effects on affected programs.
Don’t Let This Be Your Last Newsletter - Renew Today!
FSA’s 2025-26 fiscal year begins November 1 st. Don't let your member benefits end, renew today! After November 1 st, your organization's membership will enter a temporary 30-day “Grace Period.” If we don’t hear from you, your organization’s membership will expire on November 30 th, and all benefits will be discontinued. Renewal information has been sent to the primary contact in your organization. If you would like to check on your membership status, give us a call at 888-221-3124 or email FSA today.
Invest in the Future of Stormwater Management!
Did you know that FSA’s Educational Foundation sponsors scholarships every year? Join us at the 2025 Winter Conference to meet this year’s recipients. By providing these scholarships, students are encouraged and inspired to pursue careers in stormwater management.
The Foundation needs your help. These scholarships are only made possible by you, with your generous contributions. The best part is your contribution is a WIN! WIN! By donating, you not only help to further the stormwater management profession - your donation is also tax-deductible.
Individuals can give - Organizations can give – It’s tax deductible! [Donate Today]
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