BUREAU OF GEOLOGY


 APPENDIX C
 FLORIDA STATUTES CONCERNING WETLANDS

 (Taken from Brown, et al., 1983)
 "How Wetlands are Perceived in Florida Law

 "A marsh or a swamp which is not physically connected to a lake or
stream by even occasional overflow is treated as surface water in spite
of its permanence" (Maloney, 1971, in Brown, et al., 1983). Therefore,
it is common to see wetlands characterized as "surface water" in the
Florida Statutes, which administers authority to the various agencies. It
is not until such agencies mandate specific actions that the actual term
of "wetlands" is used.

 "Florida Statutes that Administer Wetland Authority Chapter
 380-The Florida Environmental Land and Water Management Act of
 1972

 "Section 380.012-Purpose
 It is the intent that, in order to protect natural resources and environ-
ment of this state as provided in s. 7, Art. II of the State Constitution,
insure a water management system that will reverse the deterioration of
water quality and provide optimum utilization of our limited water
resources, facilitate orderly and well-planned development, and protect
the health, welfare, safety, and quality of life of the residents of this
state, it is necessary adequately to plan for and guide growth and devel-
opment within this state. In order to accomplish these purposes, it is
necessary that the state establish land and water management policies
to guide and coordinate local decisions relating to growth and develop-
ment; that such state land and water management policies should, to the
maximum possible extent be implemented by local governments through
existing processes for the guidance of growth and development; and that
all the existing rights of private property be preserved in accord with the
constitutions of this state and of the United States.

 "Section 380.05-Areas of critical state concern
 (1) (a) The state land planning agency may from time to time recom-
mend to the Administration Commission specific areas of critical state
concern. In its recommendation, the agency shall include recommenda-
tions with respect to the purchase of lands situated within the bounda-
ries of the proposed area as environmentally endangered lands and out-
door recreation lands under the Land Conservation Act of 1972. The
agency also shall include any report or recommendation of a resource
planning and management committee appointed pursuant to s. 380.045;
the dangers that would result from uncontrolled or inadequate develop-
ment of the area and the advantages that would be achieved from the
development of the area in a coordinated manner; a detailed boundary


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