Posted on July 6, 2020
The state budget Gov. Ron DeSantis signed this week contains millions of dollars for projects that will directly, and indirectly, help clean Treasure Coast waterways.
The budget for fiscal year 2020-21 includes more than $322 million for Everglades restoration projects, $160 million for targeted water quality improvements and $25 million to combat harmful algal blooms and red tide.
The budget also sets aside $100 million for Florida Forever, the state’s premier program to buy land for conservation and recreation.
Here’s how some of the money in the $92.2 billion budget will affect the Treasure Coast:
- $170 million for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan
The allocation includes money to complete construction of the water-cleaning marsh at the C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area in western Martin County.
More: SFWMD adds $9 million added to contract with board member’s company
The project will take water out of the C-44 Canal that otherwise would have headed for the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon, clean it and release it back into the canal.
About half the 6,300-acre wetland began operations in November. The entire wetland is scheduled to be finished in September.
The Army Corps of Engineers is expected to finish building the adjacent 3,400-acre reservoir in 2021.
- $64 million for the EAA Reservoir
The linchpin of several projects designed to cut damaging Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie River and Caloosahatchee River estuaries, it includes a 10,100-acre reservoir with 37-foot walls to store excess lake water and a 6,500-acre artificial marsh to clean water as it leaves the reservoir and heads toward Everglades National Park and Florida Bay.
More:Corps issues permit, construction starts on marsh at EAA reservoir
The state and federal governments are splitting the project’s $1.6 billion cost. The state began work on the marsh in April and expects to finish in December 2023. The Corps expects to build the reservoir in 2028.
- $10.8 million to increase water quality monitoring, support the Blue-Green Algae Task Force and to improve and maintain the water quality public information portal.
About $575,000 of that will go to the Ocean Research & Conservation Association in Fort Pierce to maintain the 11 Kilroys, remote-controlled water quality monitors spread throughout the lagoon and the St. River, funded by the state.
ORCA officials had hoped to get $750,000 to expand the Kilroy network in the lagoon and, more importantly, the tributaries feeding water and pollution into it.
Source: tcpalm
