FL Leadership Calls on Trump to Support Everglades Restoration

A letter has been directed to President Trump, asking him to support a federal commitment to restore the Everglades. In the letter, signed by Senators Marco Rubio, Rick Scott and Governor Ron DeSantis, they assert that the sunshine state’s growing algae concern has “raised the stakes” on the matter.

In addition, they argue that the President lending his support behind the cause “would be a tremendous part of your legacy in Florida.”

the Florida lawmakers make a call to have  “funding for the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration (SFER) in your Administration’s future budget requests to Congress.”

They explain that “enhanced federal funding to complement years of historic state funding levels would fast-track design and construction of the Central Everglades Planning Project and the Everglades Agricultural Area Storage Reservoir to divert and clean Lake Okeechobee releases and increase water deliveries to Everglades National Park and Florida Bay.”

In addition, “these funds would also advance important water storage and treatment infrastructure planned for the Caloosahatchee River (C-43) West Basin Storage Reservoir and Indian River Lagoon-South projects that will further reduce harmful algal bloom frequency and intensity through enhanced coastal water quality.”

They conclude by assuring that they “stand ready to help execute any action you take to fulfill long overdue federal commitments to restore the Everglades.”

Since being sworn in last month, Governor DeSantis has made the Everglades and environmental concerns a top priority in his administration. In addition to lending his support to the letter’s motive, Governor DeSantis has made a call for $2.5 billion in state spending to be used for water projects over four years, which would be an increase of about $1 billion over the previous four years.

In his 2019-20 budget year, Governor DeSantis has proposed $625 million to be used for water projects, which includes $360 million to be used to restore the Everglades.

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