Florida Stormwater Association: An Advocate for This Precious Resource— Danielle

Florida Stormwater Association: An Advocate for This Precious Resource

Danielle Hopkins

The Florida Stormwater Association (FSA) is a statewide, nonprofit organization, which believes that local governments and stormwater professionals should exercise initiative and leadership in dealing with Florida’s water resource and environmental problems, especially those such as stormwater flooding, water quality, financing, and other related stormwater management issues.

Founded in 1993, FSA began as the Florida Association of Stormwater Utilities, serving professionals in stormwater management and finance. In June 2001, the organization changed to its current name to more accurately reflect its broader interest in stormwater management services, in addition to stormwater finance.

The FSA membership includes over 4,600 individuals representing 324 organizations across the state. Its total membership represents local governments, consultants, special districts, manufacturers, academia, and water management districts.

Key services that FSA provides include: S Advocacy S Training and Education S Information Sharing

Advocacy - The FSA has been heavily involved in advocating for local stormwater interests at the agency level and has been directly involved in legislation affecting stormwater policy, finance, and funding for the past 27 years, including the passage of major revisions to the total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) statutes in 2005 and the adoption of the numeric nutrient criteria (NNC) in 2013.

The FSA has been instrumental in stopping measures that limit the ability of city and county governments to implement actions protecting water quality, such as those relating to the use of consumer fertilizer and local development regulations. It has filed briefs at the trial and appellate levels in both state and federal courts, including at the U.S. Supreme Court, defending the ability of city and county governments to impose user fees for stormwater management and supporting a rational frame-