(1) The Council shall prioritize and allocate funding to seaports for approved projects at the Council meeting and in accordance with the following criteria:
    (a) Consistency reviews performed by the Department of Transportation and the Department of Economic Opportunity and the economic benefit review performed by Department of Economic Opportunity.
    (b) The goals and objectives of the Florida Seaport Mission Plan.
    (c) Competition for cargo or trade between an applicant port and port located outside the State of Florida.
    (d) Importance of a project to support or maintain existing cargo, trade or passenger movements at the applicant port.
    (e) Revenues or funds available at the applicant port to ensure that the port meets its matching fund requirement and to ensure that the project is initiated within the funding year in which the project is approved.
    (f) The overall 5-year capital improvement needs of each applicant port.
    (g) The ability of the port to finance port improvements through other sources.
    (h) Fairness in achieving balanced support for each port’s priorities, objectives and goals in a 5-year capital improvement program.
    (i) Each port’s recommendations concerning its funding needs.
    (2) A majority vote of the Council members present is sufficient to prioritize and allocate funding to seaports for all approved projects. A majority vote of the Council members present is sufficient to disapprove funding for a specific port transportation project.
    (3) Council staff shall submit a summary of port transportation projects with pertinent information to the Council members no less than five (5) working days prior to the date of the meeting at which time projects will be considered for funding approval.
    (4) Eligible ports whose transportation projects are not recommended for funding in any given year may reapply for subsequent funding consideration by the Council.
Rulemaking Authority 311.09(2), (4) FS. Law Implemented Florida Statutes § 311.09. History-New 12-19-90, Amended 7-13-10, 1-12-16.