Today, South Florida Water Management District (District) Chairman Chauncey Goss released the following statement regarding Governor Ron DeSantis’ proposed Floridians First Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27 to the Florida Legislature.
“Promises made, promises kept. Governor DeSantis’ final budget shows that the environment remains a cornerstone of his administration. The State of Florida continues to lead the way with projects that advance Everglades restoration, improve water quality, ensure water supply for people and the environment, increase the capacity of water storage, reduce damaging discharges from Lake Okeechobee and send more clean water south. Since 2019 when Governor DeSantis took office, the District has celebrated over 80 project completions, groundbreakings, and other major milestones – the most in state history,” said District Governing Board Chairman Chauncey Goss. “Thank you, Governor DeSantis for your unwavering support of our vital ecosystems. Our economy depends on clean water. Residents and visitors are depending on us to deliver. This budget ensures we continue our strong momentum to advance projects that are critical for Floridians and their quality of life.”
During Governor DeSantis’ first term as Governor, he signed record investments to protect Florida’s Everglades and support water quality, investing a record $3.3 billion. At the start of his second term, he called for a historic $3.5 billion investment over the next four years. The Governor’s Budget recommends $1.4 billion for Everglades restoration and water quality, bringing the total investment during the Governor’s second term to $6 billion, and bringing the investment during the Governor’s tenure to nearly $9.5 billion.
This includes continued investments in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), the landmark dollar-for-dollar commitment between the state and the Federal government to restore America’s Everglades. This summer, during the 25th Anniversary year of CERP, we reached a historic agreement with the U.S. Department of the Army to accelerate CERP, including critical components of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) and EAA Reservoir. Of the $810 million dedicated to Everglades restoration, the budget allocates $681 million for CERP.
Everglades restoration highlights for the upcoming fiscal year include:
- $681 million for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) including fully funding all remaining components of state-funded portions of the EAA Reservoir.
- $50 million for specific project components designed to achieve the greatest reductions in harmful discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Estuaries, as identified in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project.
- $79 million for the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP) and dispersed water storage projects.