Florida House Votes 107-3 to Mandate DEP's Ocklawaha River Restoration Plan
The bill targets reversing Rodman Dam's impacts from the failed Cross Florida Barge Canal, potentially enhancing St. Johns River health for Treasure Coast communities.
WHAT HAPPENED: The Florida House voted 107-3 Wednesday to approve HB 981, directing the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a plan for restoring the Ocklawaha River to conditions that existed before it was altered by construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal and its associated projects.
WHAT IT MEANS: The bill targets changes caused by the Kirkpatrick Dam — also known as the Rodman Dam — which was built as part of the now-abandoned Cross Florida Barge Canal project. If the legislation becomes law, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) would be required to chart a course for returning the Ocklawaha, a tributary of the St. Johns River, to its pre-construction state. The St. Johns River flows through or near communities in Indian River, St. Lucie, and other Treasure Coast-area counties, making the health of its tributaries a regional concern.
WHO DECIDED: The Florida House approved the measure 107-3.
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW: The source does not detail a timeline by which DEP would be required to complete and submit the restoration plan, the estimated cost of any eventual restoration work, or the current status of the companion bill in the Florida Senate. It is also unclear whether the legislation includes dedicated funding.
WHAT'S NEXT: The bill must clear the Florida Senate before it can be sent to the governor for signature. No Senate hearing date or floor vote date was included in the available source material.
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