The US state of Florida has announced a $1.5-billion commitment to restore biodiversity and improve water quality, including what it claims to be the largest single-year investment ever made to protect the Everglade wetlands.
Governor Ron DeSantis said the allocation will be officially authorised with the approval of the state budget for the next fiscal year starting July 1.
“With record investments since 2019, Florida has ushered in a new era of stewardship for natural resources, especially for America’s Everglades,” said Shawn Hamilton, secretary at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
“These wetland and marine ecosystems are invaluable for their provision of economic, quality of life, and flood protection benefits, and these last five years of momentum will ensure their enhanced vitality for current and future generations of Floridians,” added Wes Brooks, Florida’s chief resilience officer.
Approximately $850 million will go towards restoration projects in the Everglades, a 600,000-hectare network of wetlands, forests, and prairies in southern Florida.
This includes $614 mln to support the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), established by the US Congress to protect local ecosystems, and the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir.
According to Florida, this is the largest state investment in a single year since CERP was set up in 2000.
CRITICISM
Another $530 mln will support water quality enhancement, including $135 mln for the Water Quality Improvement Grant Programme, which finances projects aimed at reducing harmful nutrients in waterways.
An additional $100 mln will sustain the water needs of Palm Beach and Broward counties and help reduce freshwater discharges to the Lake Worth Lagoon, while $145 mln will go towards improving water quality in the Indian River Lagoon, Biscayne Bay, and the Caloosahatchee Estuary.
Earlier this month, Florida passed a law allocating approximately $750 mln annually to fund water quality improvement, infrastructure, and the conservation of lands and wildlife.
Despite recent announcements, environmental organisations have heavily criticised DeSantis’ policies on nature and climate.
Last year, the US non-profit Sierra Club said that DeSantis “has failed on a number of campaign promises, ignored the advice of his own experts, and at times signed legislation in direct opposition to his commitments, including … failing to commit the land and resources needed for Everglades restoration”.
According to the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Florida is one of the most biodiverse states in the country, with 4,368 animal species and 3,038 vascular plant species.
By Sergio Colombo – sergio@carbon-pulse.com
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