ELC partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund and multiple other non-profits to engage in the FDEP Sea Level Rise Impact Projection Study (“SLIP”) rulemaking process. The SLIP rule was developed in response to a state statute that requires all developers utilizing state funds to perform a sea level rise impact projection study if they are developing within a specific coastal zone. In creating the Rule to implement the statute, the State also created a software program that allows developers, at no cost, to input their project-specific information and have the study automatically generated for them.
During the SLIP’s rule development process, ELC built and coordinated the efforts of a large coalition of environmental organizations to support and advocate for a strong and meaningful rule. Through the rulemaking process, we drafted, coordinated, and submitted multiple sign-on comment letters, coordinated outreach efforts and strategic goals, held numerous meetings with staff and decision-makers, and advocated in public meetings.
The SLIP study does not require developers to undertake any specific actions; rather, the results act as an informational tool to provide developers with information about the impacts of sea level rise on their projects to encourage them to take future impacts into account in the project plans. The study results also suggest specific nature-based features as design elements to combat the projected future impacts of sea level rise on the project at issue. The study must be performed, submitted to the state, and posted on the state’s website before construction can commence.
ELC was happy to see the SLIP study incorporate some of the recommendations that ELC and partners advocated for, including the utilization of a specific sea level rise projection. However, ELC hopes that future iterations of the SLIP study rule and software will be strengthened by including the study of more specific environmental impacts and requiring the study to be performed further in advance of construction to more easily allow for design changes in response to the study. Further, we hope that all development utilizing state funds will be required to perform a SLIP study, not only those in the areas closest to the coast.
FDEP’s new SLIP study can be found here: https://floridadep.gov/rcp/florida-resilient-coastlines-program/content/sea-level-impact-projection-slip-study
Media related to the SLIP study:
Comment Letters:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-bFVFqX0EDiniJ_nH7L0_0Mv3LUtUFPj/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ISfpFl6qgqQBBX0rrDTpP6Ouul3l0Fu3/view?usp=sharing