Florida seaport transportation and economic development funding.

(1) There is created the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program within the Department of Transportation to finance port transportation or port facilities projects that will improve the movement and intermodal transportation of cargo or passengers in commerce and trade and support the interests, purposes, and requirements of all ports listed in s. 311.09.

(2) A minimum of $25 million per year shall be made available from the State Transportation Trust Fund to fund the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program. The Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council created in s. 311.09 shall develop guidelines for project funding. Council staff, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Commerce shall work in cooperation to review projects and allocate funds in accordance with the schedule required for the Department of Transportation to include these projects in the tentative work program developed pursuant to s. 339.135(4).

(3)(a) Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program funds shall be used to fund approved projects on a 50-50 matching basis with any of the deepwater ports, as listed in s. 311.09, which is governed by a public body or any other deepwater port which is governed by a public body and which complies with the water quality provisions of s. 403.061, the comprehensive master plan requirements of s. 163.3178(2)(k), and the local financial management and reporting provisions of part III of chapter 218. However, program funds used to fund projects that involve the rehabilitation of wharves, docks, berths, bulkheads, or similar structures shall require a 25-percent match of funds. Program funds also may be used by the Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council for data and analysis that will assist Florida’s seaports and international trade.

(b) Projects eligible for funding by grants under the program are limited to the following port facilities or port transportation projects:

1. Transportation facilities within the jurisdiction of the port.

2. The dredging or deepening of channels, turning basins, or harbors.

3. The construction or rehabilitation of wharves, docks, structures, jetties, piers, storage facilities, cruise terminals, automated people mover systems, or any facilities necessary or useful in connection with any of the foregoing.

4. The acquisition of vessel tracking systems, container cranes, or other mechanized equipment used in the movement of cargo or passengers in international commerce.

5. The acquisition of land to be used for port purposes.

6. The acquisition, improvement, enlargement, or extension of existing port facilities.

7. Environmental protection projects which are necessary because of requirements imposed by a state agency as a condition of a permit or other form of state approval; which are necessary for environmental mitigation required as a condition of a state, federal, or local environmental permit; which are necessary for the acquisition of spoil disposal sites and improvements to existing and future spoil sites; or which result from the funding of eligible projects listed in this paragraph.

8. Transportation facilities as defined in s. 334.03(30) which are not otherwise part of the Department of Transportation’s adopted work program.

9. Intermodal access projects.

10. Construction or rehabilitation of port facilities as defined in s. 315.02, excluding any park or recreational facilities, in ports listed in s. 311.09(1) with operating revenues of $5 million or less, provided that such projects create economic development opportunities, capital improvements, and positive financial returns to such ports.

11. Seaport master plan or strategic plan development or updates, including the purchase of data to support such plans.

12. Spaceport or space industry-related planning or construction of facilities on seaport property which are necessary or useful for advancing the space industry in this state and provide an economic benefit to this state.

13. Commercial shipbuilding and manufacturing facilities on seaport property, if such projects provide an economic benefit to the community in which the seaport is located.

(c) To be eligible for consideration by the council pursuant to this section, a project must be consistent with the port comprehensive master plan which is incorporated as part of the approved local government comprehensive plan as required by s. 163.3178(2)(k) or other provisions of the Community Planning Act, part II of chapter 163.

(4) Any port which receives funding under the program shall institute procedures to ensure that jobs created as a result of the state funding shall be subject to equal opportunity hiring practices in the manner provided in s. 110.112.

(5) The Department of Transportation may subject any project that receives funds pursuant to this section and s. 320.20 to a final audit. The department may perform such other acts as are necessary or convenient to ensure that the final audits are conducted and that any deficiency or questioned costs noted by the audit are resolved.