Gabrielle Russon
Florida and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have reached a deal to speed up Everglades restoration by completing the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir early as the state takes more control of the project, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced.
DeSantis called it a landmark deal that will leave a major impact on tourism, the economy and the environment as he spoke at a press conference in Marco Island.
“What this means is that there’ll be projects in the EAA that will be completed by the state of Florida on behalf of the Army Corps. It will be using the allocated federal funds, and it will allow us to accelerate the commitment and the investment in the project to ensure that we’re not waiting till 2034,” DeSantis said
“We’re going to get it done five years earlier, in 2029.”
The DeSantis administration explained the importance of the EAA Reservoir.
“EAA Reservoir, located south of Lake Okeechobee, will store over 78 billion gallons of water — larger than Manhattan — and deliver up to 470 billion gallons of clean water annually to the Everglades and Florida Bay,” DeSantis’ Office said in a press release. “It also supports the Biscayne Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for South Florida.”
DeSantis credited President Donald Trump for helping broker the agreement.
“I spoke with the President about this even before he took office. He’s like, ‘Hey, how can I help?’ And I was like, ‘Well, this is one thing you guys have funding for this. Delegate responsibility for us to bring some of these projects to completion on the Everglades.’ And he was all about it,” DeSantis said. “When he was down here for the Alligator Alcatraz, this came up, and he said, ‘It’s going to happen.'”
Florida’s agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allows the state to construct inflow and outflow pump stations so the Corps can focus on the main reservoir basin, DeSantis’ Office said. Florida can also take the lead on the Blue Shanty Flow Way, which DeSantis’ Office called “a vital system to deliver clean water south across the Tamiami Trail and into Florida Bay.”
It’s the second press conference this week where DeSantis has focused on Everglades restoration.
“This is the largest environmental restoration in America and maybe even in the world, and Florida has led on that,” DeSantis said Friday.
2 comments
Along for the Ride
July 18, 2025 at 6:42 pm
But he built alligator Auschwitz’s which is harming the Everglades? Make it make sense
TC
July 18, 2025 at 10:50 pm
What makes sense is the timing of this announcement, meant to say look here! Look here!
But don’t look there.
DeSantis and Trump thrive because their followers can’t follow the facts.