Pinellas Commission Approves 2022 Federal Legislative Priorities

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — The Pinellas County Commission approved its 2022 Federal Legislative Priorities Program on Tuesday, highlighting issues that have a substantial impact on the county and will likely be addressed in the current Congress.

Priorities include:

• Supporting a long-term extension to the Federal Flood Insurance Program (set to expire Sept. 30) that ensures financial sustainability while not pricing out policyholders. This includes providing premium discounts for private and community-based mitigation efforts.
• Correcting the issues with the approach and algorithm for Risk Rating 2.0, which went into full effect April 1.
• Requesting that the Army Corps of Engineers reevaluate its Perpetual Storm Damage Reduction Easement policy, which requires that 100 percent of beachfront property owners sign perpetual easements for areas landward of the Erosion Control Line within the limits of the planned Sand Key beach nourishment project.
• Requesting that Congress include in the 2022 Water Resources Development Act a 50-year reauthorization of the Treasure Island and Long Key sections of the Pinellas County beach construction program.
• Supporting strategies that address the Federal Highway Trust Fund’s declining revenues to adequately fund future transportation needs.
• Identifying federal funding opportunities for Pinellas County via the enactment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
• Supporting legislation to permanently ban oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico within 125 miles of Florida. Legislation providing for a temporary moratorium expires in 2022, and a Presidential Executive Order expires in 2032.

In addition to the listed priorities, staff will closely monitor issues that emerge and have the potential to impact Pinellas County government’s ability to deliver services to residents and visitors.