Florida Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, together with Representatives Brian Mast and Francis Rooney, have released the following joint statement after President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request to Congress failed to include sufficient funding for Everglades restoration efforts.
“ For the third year in a row, the administration’s budget request underfunds critical projects in South Florida. It is incredibly short-sighted to continue to underfund a series of projects that are absolutely necessary to ensure the environmental sustainability and economic vitality of one of the most dynamic regions of our nation ,” the officials stated.
“ Everglades restoration is critically important to the State of Florida and enjoys broad bipartisan support in Congress. Failing to meet the basic federal funding commitments to restore the Everglades is contrary to the administration’s goal of improving project partnerships and cost-sharing with states.
“Successive Florida Governors have remained committed to this goal, pushing state funding of this 50/50 federal-state partnership to historic highs.
“Congress and the Army Corps of Engineers envisioned a $200 million per year federal commitment when the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan was first authorized nearly 20 years ago, and it is time for the administration to meet that commitment.”
Last month, Senator Scott, Senator Rubio, and Florida Governor DeSantis urged President Trump to include a commitment of $200 million in construction funding for South Florida Ecosystem Restoration (SFER).