Rick Scott trumpets ‘historic funding’ for environment in next budget

Governor Rick Scott visited the Jacksonville Zoo to highlight his proposal for $1.7 billion in funding for Florida’s environment as part of his 2018-2019 recommended budget.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott returned to Jacksonville Monday afternoon to highlight his new budget’s environmental proposals at the Jacksonville Zoo.

Scott’s final budget sees a boost in environmental funding, up to $1.7 billion: $220 million over the current year’s levels.

The budget proposal has something for most constituencies: $50 million for “the best state parks system in the country”; $55 million for springs, adding to what Scott bills as “record funding for our springs”; $100 million for beaches, which got “hurt during Irma and Matthew”; $355 million for Everglades restoration, including $50 million for the dike at Lake Okeechobee; $50 million for Florida Forever.

“The big thing today is we have the money to do these things,” Scott said Monday. “It’s $1.7 billion for the environment.”

“The money we invest in our environment is important for our children and our grandchildren,” Scott added. “The environment’s important to us. All of us have to call our House and Senate members and let them know.”

However, Democrats — such as Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum — accuse Scott of being an “election-year environmentalist.”

Gillum chides Scott for not putting enough into Florida Forever. Republicans, such as Sen. Rob Bradley, also would like to see more money in the land preservation program.

Bradley has proposed legislation that would earmark $100 million for Florida Forever.

Scott noted that “as we’ve turned our economy around, we’ve been able to invest in our environment. The things we’ve allocated this year: $1.7 billion, that’s historic funding. $55 million is historic funding for our springs. Nobody’s ever invested this much money as we’ve done the past few years.”

“It’s $355 million for Everglades restoration. If you look at all these things — our parks, our beaches, we focus on where we think we can have the biggest impact.”

The Everglades Foundation and the Audubon Society both support Scott’s proposed budget,, and had representatives on hand Monday to affirm that support.

Scott spent the early part of Monday advancing another proposal in that budget: $50 million for the federally operated Herbert Hoover Dike.

“Last week, the State of Florida was proud to secure President Donald Trump’s commitment to accelerating critical repairs needed to the federal Herbert Hoover Dike at Lake Okeechobee. While this partnership is game-changing, we cannot stop there. These repairs are a priority and that’s why I’m proposing $50 million in state funding to help expedite the project,” Scott said Monday morning.

With support from House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron, that proposal won’t meet meaningful resistance.

“My goal is to get the dike restored by 2022,” Scott said, framing the dike as just “one part of Everglades restoration.”

“The President says they’re going to work with us … he’s made a commitment,” Scott said. “I’m going to work with Congress to get it done.”