A joint committee from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives gathered to revise and finalize the Water Resources Reform and Development Act earlier in May. This act, which has been under debate for some time, will allocate $1 billion for cleanup and restoration projects in Florida, focusing especially on the Everglades. Though the act has not yet been deemed official, legislators believe its confirmation is just about a certainty.
Most of these projects are focused on developing plants to clean and store water, two tasks essential to the health of the Everglades and the surrounding population. Almost one-third of all Floridians obtain their drinking water from the Everglades, making its health veritably crucial for the well-being of our state as a whole. Among these improvements are a large water-holding area that covers about 10,000 acres in Broward County and funding for the western C-111 spreader canal.
Though this news is promising for the Everglades region, it does not include the Central Everglades Planning Project, which is an initiative to keep fresh water from Lake Okeechobee from going out to sea while improving its quality. The Central Everglades project was moving forward until about April of this year, when it hit a snag under the review and approval process. The Army Corps of Engineers, responsible for the success of the Central Everglades project, are currently making the necessary revisions to the project before resubmitting it to Congress for review and approval. The area affected by the CEPP can be seen on Everglades air boat rides, closer to the center of the region.
In essence, the WRRDA affects how a number of harbors and ports are operated and expanded, also giving a green light to the upcoming Port Everglades project. It will help reduce the construction time for major Everglades restoration tools, which is important as it comes at a time when the Everglades area is under a number of different threats.
Water is the lifesource for a number of organisms thriving in the Everglades area, as well as the humans who live nearby. Why not discover the beautiful waters of the Everglades for yourself on one of Wild Florida’s Everglades air boat rides? Call us at (866) 532-7167 for ticket information today.
