[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6526840,"mediaKeyId","3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0","parentId",3693454,"title","County reorganizes resilience office; mayor launches Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force; specialty Biscayne Bay license plate in production","audioSeconds",305,"startMs",3553000,"endMs",3858000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0&start=3553&end=3858","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0/thumbnail_3553000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6526840/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/County-reorganizes-resilience-office-mayor-launches-Boater-Safety-and-Bay-Education-Task-Force-specialty-Biscayne-Bay-license-plate-in-production","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526840-0ac118bf442467edb3a9010f522edbf4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420482&Signature=YSSsdcOsUXNaEIgzCia0WFwiM8A8nGu4KB2ti-T24ozqw~9XXdhVF~Wi08RUKEudi-M68~H0fxgFjICHlTeBvaJ5O6w81tRUO01WC3lZHZNhyql5QY6t3S96uMXS1dRu7AqedpM2kDIPvIamBfN6yFIg39Ncp5l-i3u-Pr96iraHcTYZRyfDplAFnqGykXoXQdH1MAOQOg1-wq-7U9NVRHXu4tN2hOkUInH6s6VmBUTdpym0ZP4BjdeibxOUer5LcvHgnlQwMVJXX2dRlnp8zp1Z4-a0jGTCWMOlJjcktLIxuL2rmOJ~nJNRyl6vOclAQnrt~drmlfPIZ-82jG9kXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Miami-Dade County","date","2025-06-06T00:00:00Z","article","County resilience staff updated the advisory board on an internal reorganization, a mayoral task force on boating safety and education, and a new Biscayne Bay specialty license plate that has cleared the voucher threshold for production.

Lauren Parra, the county’s chief resilience officer (also serving as chief bay officer and chief heat officer), said the Office of Environmental Risk and Resilience was restructured in February and that technical staff were embedded into departments such as Public Works and Regulatory and Economic Resources to accelerate project implementation. She said the county’s smaller central team will continue to prioritize Biscayne Bay and that program director Nancy will manage daily coordination with Durham and other partners.

Parra also noted a mayoral Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force created in partnership with the Fernandez family; the task force’s first meeting is expected in July with a condensed meeting schedule to produce recommendations to the mayor.

Parra announced that the Biscayne Bay specialty license plate reached the threshold of 3,000 voucher sign-ups and is now in production; plates should appear at DMVs in the coming months and revenues from the plate will go to the Miami Foundation for Biscayne Bay grants.

Board members congratulated staff on the reorganization and asked for continued updates on task force timing, collaboration with DOT on living shoreline and causeway opportunities, and opportunities to allocate budget for enforcement and monitoring in the current municipal and county budget cycles.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Miami-Dade County - Biscayne Bay Watershed Management Advisory Board - Jun 06, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Miami-Dade reshaped its Office of Resilience into the Office of Environmental Risk and Resilience, embedded technical staff in implementation departments, announced a mayoral Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force, and confirmed the Biscayne Bay specialty license plate reached the required 3,000 vouchers for production.","taxTitle","Miami-Dade County, Florida","taxId",2864,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6526843,"Environmental groups, residents press board for stronger stormwater maintenance, boat safety and monitoring",288,344000,632000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0&start=344&end=632","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0/thumbnail_344000.jpg","/articles/6526843/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Environmental-groups-residents-press-board-for-stronger-stormwater-maintenance-boat-safety-and-monitoring","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526843-b254fc9e33c7d9cc37b082cb0134524c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420482&Signature=UhfoQSPbv1jIjttEzFxe8dFWcQM3SbZoSkUPIzG4z3BV1sXHp8U1GI-yPswcbFLji3UwxShLLkqSfYu2q4koFCwoDsmSom3nZwR2i86FgFFB4O0~W3Rpf6UdRqmwdd-gCraz17pijlxbZSX9rNY0uXYXSGk6CXJ35nK0va8zLAsSurlHtHwba3Zsizn6~Alro2y5SIZM~dLaKKZooShaUScDVIfvJLhuGj337Zn6SVkF3SVK5xjqY8Vrs2qchZRWROpUyhPH~eHBMt5jazIgIF7g8m45Y~KBXdnz9hHaEVoJeAf2hHKsXI~UVhlolSnh0nbyV4p0pSf0~jvtmuBxRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Speakers from Miami Waterkeeper, Everglades Law Center, Friends of Biscayne Bay and other community groups used the public comment segment to press the advisory board and county staff on stormwater maintenance, monitoring, boating safety and community cleanup efforts.

Mariana Aziz (Environmental Policy Specialist, Miami Waterkeeper) thanked the board for work on the Reasonable Assurance Plan and urged the county to include asset-management systems as eligible projects under the RAP, noting that municipal capacity affects MS4 compliance. Francesca DeJulio (Everglades Law Center) made a similar point, saying municipalities should be encouraged to propose expansions or refinements of existing MS4 activities — such as catch-basin maintenance, street sweeping and oversight inspections — when funding constraints make fuller compliance impracticable.

Speakers also prioritized public outreach and enforcement. Scott Polowitz (Friends of Biscayne Bay) urged that the Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force include a specialized bay environmental expert and expand outreach and enforcement in summer months to reduce vessel collisions with wildlife and seagrass scarring. He also promoted a Derelict Trap Rodeo scheduled for July 12 at Matheson Hammock Park and asked for partnerships and sponsorships.

Other commenters raised concerns about sewage and bacterial indicators in canals and asked how residents could report floating debris; staff offered to meet with commenters after the meeting with contact information. Board members and staff acknowledged the need for earlier and increased municipal maintenance spending and suggested the county and municipalities use current budget cycles to seek additional funds for stormwater operations, enforcement and monitoring.

Public comment material will inform RAP project identification, grant applications and outreach strategies as the county moves toward the summer project submission deadline.","Public commenters urged the advisory board to broaden eligible RAP projects to include asset-management and maintenance programs, increase monitoring recognition, step up stormwater maintenance and street sweeping, and support boater-safety outreach and derelict trap removal events.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6526848,"County updates model, stakeholder outreach as Reasonable Assurance Plan work continues",756,1926000,2682000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0&start=1926&end=2682","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0/thumbnail_1926000.jpg","/articles/6526848/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/County-updates-model-stakeholder-outreach-as-Reasonable-Assurance-Plan-work-continues","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526848-ac7931562aeaf7970d0f583582801e50/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420482&Signature=XZoRUFoCq1Tv1PO~GrV1JKOfFC6qgBPvIIjAKsozssIZRP10JKZZ5ItvK4Kywwnyvdque9H62W32T~xG0UfDAPyuNTgba09Xm8sErj5xOLA1eLZoFT9sBmWGkbiHuW9k7L1qBmUejEEAlBdjTOIplnLqNJPD~xUs27EYkMslctEkn~x8pMs7NpptjIR01tGtDwdweHs04uQ6BCXmG2SaXzBKDBUZg5pcJdbVb6sqENQoMWL64OG8NAJYOSzu8oo2QGzQHoVfYbDIQYeVm7-0EySc8zDM4AVUFheJeNligH~BmbCSigbDXS2UYGKOOVl37hTx~i4uMIYA-njzEW2~VA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County staff presented technical progress on the Biscayne Bay Reasonable Assurance Plan (RAP), reporting that the hydrologic and coupled water-quality model has been constructed, calibration and validation are underway, and project verification tools have been created to help municipalities submit candidates for credit under the RAP.

Pamela (county project lead) told the advisory board that the model integrates groundwater and surface water — a configuration the team said fits Miami‑Dade’s porous limestone hydrogeology — and that the modeling team (GHD with ESA coordination) will run calibration and validation over the coming months. A dashboard has been produced to visualize historical conditions and to help staff explore potential target conditions that could represent a healthier Biscayne Bay.

The county said project identification work is advancing with assistance from Tetra Tech and other consultants. Staff has circulated a “project verification” checklist based on state guidance; municipalities and other stakeholders were asked to submit projects dating back to 2017 and to include near-term (5–10 year) plans. Staff emphasized that the state may award credit for certain past projects and that municipalities should think broadly about stormwater and wastewater improvements, including catch basin maintenance, street sweeping, and oversight of industrial and construction activities when those actions can be demonstrated to reduce nutrient loading.

Pamela also described the RAP timeline: an internal county draft to be completed in 2025 and a final submission to the state in 2026, with ongoing coordination with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. EPA. Board members asked about enforcement, municipal compliance, the role of the South Florida Water Management District, and near-term budget implications; staff said the plan would become an order of the DEP secretary and that integration with stormwater permitting and municipal ordinances was being explored.

Staff said the RAP will include monitoring and adaptive management provisions, and that staff plans to convene regular stormwater roundtables to share data and address implementation barriers such as funding or contracting delays. A summer deadline for municipal project lists was noted; staff said they will present more technical detail at a subsequent meeting when consultants are available.","County staff reported hydrological and water-quality model construction, stakeholder engagement, a project verification tool and a summer deadline for municipalities to submit projects as part of the Reasonable Assurance Plan (RAP) to reduce nutrients in Biscayne Bay. Staff said a draft RAP is on track for summer 2026 submission to the state.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6526852,"County attorney says Biscayne Bay retains $20 million in state budget; several bills affecting boating and plastics died or changed",183,1367000,1550000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0&start=1367&end=1550","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0/thumbnail_1367000.jpg","/articles/6526852/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/County-attorney-says-Biscayne-Bay-retains-20-million-in-state-budget-several-bills-affecting-boating-and-plastics-died-or-changed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526852-4f1fa54e4efa275951c23590ee3628e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420482&Signature=eq~3MtQKaxZyZVI8bnOuOv1hNCvJYOblT0owx1IVdMPQNk0b1-FCYb3Gi0UBQ~1wFmJQfNQLt2IU98S1Sz277UjHBFc~3uH2N8rQwgZ9BjfzigYbvxdcmOLDoBC1oiaeTMu-ENZsJ19aqloaqk8lEGv3FYWi7QjkDVZrCrVa96JbREvEZeoxtHd4ycC8dU~AgfwE8oVJOuGWP6hD8mooJ7ZCqvpFBHxGRtBLnS9MtBWWDlxeH0PFEHfrrbaO3r~hyWAyh-FPrQ6p1SXMbzQonX97lOibEv0eUsZ93LEvFeeavLfkJjq6tzz6U4-8NOLSbCU8OQhcqTptJo8Bx6rJXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jess McCarty, Miami-Dade County’s representative in Tallahassee, briefed the Biscayne Bay Watershed Management Advisory Board on the 2025 legislative session and on budget conference negotiations that affect the county’s bay-related funding.

McCarty said the House and Senate both funded Biscayne Bay at $20,000,000 in the conference committee, and that the apparent mismatch earlier in the week was a spreadsheet interpretation issue that had been resolved. “There was never a point when the house and the senate did not both fund Biscayne Bay at 20,000,000,” he said.

He listed several items still in conference on water projects and noted specific local requests still under consideration, including funding proposals for boating safety ($100,000), Goulds Canal and C-9 Canal projects (amounts referenced in the meeting), and $250,000 for bay monitoring and telemetry. McCarty said many water project appropriations remained unresolved in the conference process.

McCarty also summarized bills that had been active during the session. He identified “Senate Bill 18 22” as a plastics preemption measure that ultimately died during negotiations; “House Bill 4 81” would impose new restrictions on anchoring time and expand no-anchoring areas around some islands; “Senate Bill 8 30” and related House sponsors addressed migrant and derelict vessels and tools for Florida Fish and Wildlife; “HB 2 89” increased some boating-safety penalties (referred to as “Lucy’s law” during the discussion); and “Senate Bill 13 88,” described as a boater freedom act, passed and may constrain law enforcement’s ability to board vessels without probable cause, a change McCarty said could complicate Bay enforcement.

Board members used the briefing to thank local supporters in Tallahassee and to ask follow-up questions about the status of individual projects and how the budget conference would resolve outstanding items. McCarty said the legislature planned to have the budget on the governor’s desk by mid-June following the conference committee work.","Jess McCarty, Miami-Dade County attorney in Tallahassee, told the advisory board that the legislature’s budget negotiation preserved a $20 million recurring allocation for Biscayne Bay projects. He also summarized bills on plastics preemption, anchoring limits, derelict vessels and boating safety under consideration or that failed in 2025.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6526857,"Commissioner Mickey Steinberg elected chair of Biscayne Bay advisory board",27,1161000,1188000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0&start=1161&end=1188","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3693454-6d9b9f995c0d4b4e491568dfafa87fe0/thumbnail_1161000.jpg","/articles/6526857/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Commissioner-Mickey-Steinberg-elected-chair-of-Biscayne-Bay-advisory-board","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526857-5fd70ef57427f59f3f40da45c3eda818/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420482&Signature=X1Eh3eOLvbnS0vyvs6ZumjrBrOVr9gflFHwm~2RN9hroQOnPywvnUDyV6oo56eG0SqdJjwC7fbRp2NuMyKXPhSjKcVrq10O0Y-~KI4hSr8qb3VniKd4nf49CRz8PqJCE75EX4RSuF4zvgIdE-ukNvxPNllujiYjcxd~BoS-Wa4z1SBuPBwwD9xCF8oZvirhWxobhKcGuzsgPcC8KudfWasjhCk0S49Gx4JaTnpMdzv-ygWKC~Y9vgW8m3SWUVOlyfpibBgbYUMmqN1eyY58VTCDSWqcKN9-O93RlpctCGCpQy3T3EbngEcp-R15BZe-awfTFhB~KjFBgzcOEWp0COg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Biscayne Bay Watershed Management Advisory Board elected Commissioner Mickey Steinberg as its new chair during its first meeting of 2025, voting unanimously to approve the appointment.

Board members nominated Steinberg and the clerk called for a voice vote. “All in favor of electing Commissioner Steinberg as the new chair of the Biscayne Bay Watershed Management Advisory Board, say aye,” the clerk said; members answered “Aye,” and the chair declared the motion passed.

The board also approved the meeting agenda and the minutes from its December meeting by unanimous voice vote. Those procedural approvals preceded a series of substantive updates on the board’s priorities for the year, including progress on the county’s Reasonable Assurance Plan and a legislative update on state funding for Biscayne Bay projects.

The appointment transfers meeting leadership to Steinberg, who immediately thanked the board and pledged to continue collaborative work on bay restoration and related priorities. Vice Chair Mayor Vince Lago led the meeting before the election and recognized former chair Commissioner Cohen Higgins for her service.

The board’s formal actions on the three procedural motions were recorded on the public meeting record as passed by voice vote; the meeting minutes will contain the official roll-call tally.","The Biscayne Bay Watershed Management Advisory Board unanimously elected Commissioner Mickey Steinberg as chair during its first meeting of 2025. The board also approved the meeting agenda and December minutes by unanimous voice votes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County reorganizes resilience office; mayor launches Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force; specialty Biscayne Bay license plate in production

Environmental groups, residents press board for stronger stormwater maintenance, boat safety and monitoring

County updates model, stakeholder outreach as Reasonable Assurance Plan work continues

County attorney says Biscayne Bay retains $20 million in state budget; several bills affecting boating and plastics died or changed

Commissioner Mickey Steinberg elected chair of Biscayne Bay advisory board