WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday announced $1.5 billion in investments for Everglades restoration and water quality improvements to mark the celebration of Earth Day.
This funding brings Florida’s total investment in Everglades restoration and water quality improvements to a record-breaking $6.5 billion since Governor DeSantis took office in 2019, his office said.
DeSantis was joined for a news conference at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach by Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Shawn Hamilton.
(Watch the entire news conference in the video player above.)
Of the $1.5 billion in funding, approximately $850 million will go towards Everglades restoration projects, including $614 million to support the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir. This is the largest state investment in a single year since CERP was established in 2000.
Additionally, this funding includes $100 million for the second phase of the C-51 Reservoir, which will support the water needs of Palm Beach and Broward counties while also reducing freshwater discharges to the Lake Worth Lagoon.
Also included in the $1.5 billion investment is approximately $530 million for targeted water quality improvement projects, including $135 million for the Water Quality Improvement Grant Program which funds projects that reduce harmful nutrients in our waterways like septic-to-sewer and wastewater treatment upgrades. $100 million is committed to support the Indian River Lagoon. The Governor will also approve $45 million for water quality improvements in Biscayne Bay and the Caloosahatchee Estuary.
This funding is in addition to funding that was allocated in Senate Bill 1638, signed by the Governor earlier this month. Senate Bill 1638 allocates revenue from the Seminole Gaming Compact, directing 96% of the revenue generated to fund water quality improvement, infrastructure, and the continued conservation of lands. As of February 2024, the revenue share estimates are approximately $750 million per year.
