SOUTH BAY, Fla. — Calling it the "largest and most significant restoration effort in all of the United States of America," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Palm Beach County on Thursday to announce a "huge step forward" for Everglades restoration.
DeSantis said starting Thursday, crews will begin filling the first of three cells in the 6,500-acre Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Stormwater Treatment Area in western Palm Beach County.
The EAA Reservoir is part of an effort to store, clean and funnel water south from Lake Okeechobee to the Florida Everglades, helping to restore South Florida's natural freshwater flow.
"This is an important part of the vision of being able to send water south," DeSantis said. "This entire stormwater treatment area will be full of water this summer."
Construction on the stormwater treatment area started in April 2020.
During DeSantis' first term as governor, the state spent $3.3 billion on Everglades restoration and water quality improvements. For his second term through 2027, Florida is pledging an additional $3.5 billion.
The governor said that over the last five years, Florida has either completed or broken ground on 67 different Everglades-related projects.
"We want to send more clean water south," DeSantis said. "We need the infrastructure to be able to do it. And this is something that has been a priority."
The governor was joined Thursday by Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Shawn Hamilton and South Florida Water Management District Chairman Chauncy Goss.
