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TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), along
with the Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC), has instituted a new process for establishing
funding priorities for conservation land acquisition projects, after 10 years of ranking Florida
Forever projects in either “A” or “B” priority groups.
“It is important that public testimony be given prior to the June meeting, since each ARC member
will be expected to bring his or her individual ranking recommendations to the June meeting, and the
members can take the comments into account as they prepare their lists,” said Deborah Poppell,
Director, DEP’s Division of State Lands. “All comments received before June 1, 2010 will be made
available to the ARC members to be considered in their deliberations for June’s ranking exercise.”
Two public hearings have been scheduled; one in Tallahassee on April 16 and one in Arcadia on May
6, 2010, to provide the public with opportunities to refresh and educate the eleven ARC members on
each of the more than 100 projects on the Florida Forever priority list. Project rankings will be a
primary factor for determining whether a project is funded under the program.
Those unable to participate in either public hearing are invited to provide their comments in
writing via email to
Jim.Farr@dep.state.fl.us or via US mail to Mr.
Jim Farr, ARC Staff Director, Division of State Lands, 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS 140,
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000. For more information about the Acquisition and Restoration
Council, please visit
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/lands/arc.htm.
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"It is important that public testimony be given prior to the June meeting, since each ARC member will be expected to bring his or her individual ranking recommendations to the June meeting, and the members can take the comments into account as they prepare their lists."
Debra Poppell
DEP’s Director of Division of State Lands
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2012 State of Florida