Testing 2
Where Does the $634 Million Go?
These are the appropriations in the 2019-20 General Appropriations Act that most closely align with the Governor’s recommendations.
Everglades Restoration -- $413 million
- $145.5 million goes to the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) for the planning, design, engineering, and construction of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).[1]
- $64 million in recurring funds is dedicated to the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) project. Remaining money in any fiscal year must go to Phase II of the C-51 reservoir project. An additional non-recurring $43.8 million was appropriated this year for EEA and related projects that move water south.
- $32 million in recurring funds (through FY 2025-26) goes to SFWMD’s Restoration Strategies Regional Water Quality Plan.
- $32.9 million is directed towards implementing the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program to restore and protect the Lake Okeechobee, Caloosahatchee River, and St. Lucie River watersheds.
- $50 million is for specific projects designed to achieve the greatest reduction in harmful discharges into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Estuaries.
- $40 million was funded in the Department of Transportation Work Program to elevate 5.45 miles of the Tamiami Trail which has been blocking the natural flow of water through the Everglades.
- $4.0 million was appropriated in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service’s budget for agricultural nutrient reduction and water retention projects in the Lake Okeechobee Watershed.
[1] In 2000, Congress approved the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), a $10.5 billion, 35-plus year project, designed to restore natural sheetflow, rehydrate marshes, and provide freshwater flows to protect our estuaries.