Click here to read the Fall 2024 Issue of Engineering Florida
Adams and Reese Senior Policy Advisor Jeff Littlejohn authored, “The Role of Florida’s Engineers in Shaping Water Policy,” published in the Fall 2024 issue of Engineering Florida.
The Florida engineering industry has long been an instrumental force in guiding the state’s legislative efforts on water policy. This role was exemplified in the recent legislative panel on water policy, which took place at this year’s Florida Engineering Society (FES)/American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Florida Annual Conference in Miami. Littlejohn serves FES and ACEC Florida members with water, energy and environmental policy support.
At Adams and Reese, Littlejohn is a member of both the Government Relations and Environmental Law teams. He provides environmental regulatory and policy assistance in regulatory solutions, policy support, and executive direction. He formerly served as Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Littlejohn currently serves as President of National Stormwater Trust and Florida Environmental Network.
Below is Littlejohn’s article first published by Engineering Florida.
The Role of Florida’s Engineers in Shaping Water Policy
By Jeff Littlejohn, PEJeff Littlejohn, P.E., is a senior policy advisor for Adams and Reese. He serves FES and ACEC Florida members with water, energy and environmental policy support.
The Florida engineering industry has long been an instrumental force in guiding the state's legislative efforts on water policy. This role was exemplified in the recent legislative panel on water policy, which took place at this year’s FES/ACEC Florida Annual Conference in Miami.
The panel was hosted by the Water Resources Committee (WRC), where state legislators and engineering professionals came together to discuss key issues and solutions. It featured two prominent Florida Senators, Jennifer Bradley and Jonathan Martin, alongside Environmental Committee and WRC chairs and seasoned engineers Michael DelCharco, P.E., and Brent Whitfield, P.E.
Their collective expertise painted a vivid picture of how engineers and legislators can collaborate to address Florida’s water challenges, ensuring the industry continues to be a positive influence on the legislative process.
The Legislative Panel
The panel was part of the WRC's ongoing effort to engage legislators on water policy and funding, providing an opportunity for Florida's engineers to offer their expertise directly to policymakers. The panel discussion was structured around three central topics, with contributions from both legislators and committee leaders. This open dialogue format encouraged collaboration and audience participation, ensuring that a wide array of perspectives informed the conversation.
One of the most significant takeaways from the panel was the legislators' support for a new Florida Water Work Plan, modeled after the Florida Department of Transportation's (FDOT) successful five-year work plan.
Both Senators Bradley and Martin endorsed the idea, recognizing that Florida's water infrastructure, much like its transportation system, requires long-term strategic planning, prioritization and funding to ensure resiliency and sustainability.
Engineering Expertise At The Forefront
Florida’s water resources are under increasing stress from population growth, climate change and emerging contaminants such as PFAS. The WRC panel highlighted the importance of technical expertise in navigating these challenges.
DelCharco, who has been involved with the WRC for over 24 years and leads Taylor Engineering's Coastal Strategies group, emphasized the need for coastal and riverine flood resiliency. His work focuses on moving communities from planning to action, an approach that is vital in the face of rising sea levels and more frequent flooding events.
Similarly, Whitfield, with more than two decades of experience designing water infrastructure solutions, spoke about the critical role that modeling studies play in planning for future water resource needs. His work on sea level rise in Miami-Dade County for the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is a prime example of how engineering research can inform and shape public policy.
The panel also discussed the impact of state legislation, such as Senate Bill 712 (the Clean Waterways Act), on Florida’s water resources. With Florida’s population continuing to grow, engineers play an increasingly important role in crafting the solutions needed to meet future water demands while preserving natural resources.
A Future Water Work Plan
The concept of a State Water Work Plan gained significant traction during the panel. Such a plan would help prioritize and fund critical water infrastructure projects, much like the FDOT’s 5-year plan does for transportation projects. This would allow for better allocation of resources and provide a roadmap for addressing both existing infrastructure needs and future challenges such as climate change, pollution and increased demand.
House Bill 53, passed in 2021, required the collection of data from local governments on their water infrastructure needs. However, the panelists raised questions about how this data is being used and whether it is comprehensive enough to address the state’s current and future water challenges.
The panel underscored the need for engineers to continue to work closely with policymakers to ensure that data collection efforts are informed by real-world technical knowledge.
The Engineering Industry As A Legislative Resource
One of the goals of the WRC panel was to establish the committee as a resource for technical support during the formulation of policy. As engineers, DelCharco, Whitfield and Littlejohn have consistently contributed their expertise to shaping Florida’s water policy. Their technical understanding of water systems is critical for informing legislation that not only addresses immediate needs but also anticipates future challenges.
Engineers' involvement in the legislative process ensures that Florida’s water policy is both pragmatic and forwardthinking, providing a solid foundation for the state's long-term water management strategy. The endorsement of a Florida Water Work Plan is a prime example of how this partnership can lead to innovative solutions that will benefit the state for generations to come.