Hurricane Information for Marinas

Many marinas on leased state-owned lands sustain damage or are destroyed during hurricane seasons. As a sovereign submerged lands leaseholder, you may be entitled to financial relief from lease fees if you are affected by a hurricane. When a hurricane makes landfall in Florida, the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection issues an Emergency Final Order for a specific area and time period. This Emergency Final Order is intended to help Floridians in the aftermath of hurricane destruction, including providing relief from certain regulatory requirements and allowing for certain fee waivers and credits.

If you are within sovereign submerged lands lease boundaries and have any structural damage resulting from a hurricane you may be entitled to a credit on your annual fees. This credit is based on the percentage of functional loss to the total area under lease and only for the duration of the Order. It is recommended that you document the destruction with photographs and keep the documents in a safe location.

To receive a credit on your annual fees you will need to submit your request in writing via mail, fax or e-mail to:

Department of Environmental Protection
Division of State Lands
Bureau of Public Lands Administration
3900 Commonwealth Blvd., MS 130
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: 850.245.2726
Fax: 850.245.2761
Susan.Riggs@dep.state.fl.us 

The type and amount of damage a hurricane causes to structures or the associated activities in, on or over wetlands and other surface waters will determine whether you need to contact the Department before performing repairs or restoration, and whether lease fees can be waived. To locate the Department’s District Office in your area, please call the number above or go online to: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/dist/. The office can provide you with a copy of the Hurricane Emergency Order, which will describe the repairs that can be done without notice to the Department, and those that require a field authorization. You can also access the Emergency Final Order via the Internet at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/mainpage/em/default.htm and click on the affecting storm.

PLEASE KEEP THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN A SAFE LOCATION