Rule 18-21.0051, F.A.C., sets limits on which projects for sovereign submerged land leases can be authorized locally by the Department of Environmental Protection Districts and Water Management Districts and which require review by the Governor and Cabinet, sitting as the Board of Trustees. Amendments are proposed to delete the slip threshold and increase the preempted area threshold from 50,000 square feet to 150,000 square feet. Any projects of heightened public concern would continue to require final action by the Board of Trustees regardless of their size or preempted area. One benefit will be to reduce the processing time by approximately 45 days, expediting and streamlining the process for the public and eliminating the cost of taking these leases to the Board of Trustees. It also will be a time and cost savings to agency staff, which includes local district review and staff review in Tallahassee. For the applicant, construction can begin sooner.