V-83 

 FLORIDA 



The following describes the recently augmented estuarine 

 management framework in Florida which is due in some measure to 

 the efforts of the National Estuarine Pollution Study through its 

 30 public meetings held across the country. The estuarine 

 public meeting in Florida presented a forum whereby various factors 

 of the community cnuld express publicly their views on the Florida 

 estuarine situation. These views subsequently reached the legisla- 

 tive bodies and it is felt that this meeting contributed views which 

 prompted the Florida Legi-^lature to consider the need for action 

 to preserve/protect Floridian estuaries. 



During 1969, the Florida Legislature created the Florida Department 

 of Air and Water Pollution Control and reorganized the State Board of 

 Health as a separate department -- the Department of Health and Rehabil' 

 itative Services. 



In Florida, there seems to be two coordinated and related foci for 

 estuarine management. 



First, the Florida Department of Air and Water Pollution Control 

 is the primary State agency having the responsibility and authority 

 for pollution control. Most of the powers, duties, and functions 

 of other State agencies relating to pollution control, including 

 those in estuarine areas, were transferred to the Department of Air 

 and Water Pollution Control (Air and Water Pollution Control 



