For Immediate Release
March 3rd, 2019. PALMETTO BAY, Fla. — Everglades Foundation CEO Eric Eikenberg today issued the following statement responding to President Trump’s budget request of nearly $63.3 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for South Florida Everglades Restoration and $5.5 million for Operations and Maintenance:
“We have consistently urged that the federal government meet its commitment to Everglades restoration at a level of at least $200 million for this fiscal year — an amount needed annually to restore America’s Everglades for future generations, reduce polluted water discharges from Lake Okeechobee, and help ensure clean drinking water for over 8 million Floridians. This includes construction of the long delayed Everglades reservoir that is designed to store polluted water, clean it, and then send it south.
“Florida cannot continue to suffer through repeated outbreaks of toxic blue-green algae and red tide: the nation’s third-most populous state is undergoing a perennial environmental disaster and an economic catastrophe, and the federal government must fulfill its role in helping solve the problem of Florida’s waterways.
“Nevertheless, the federal budget process is a long and complicated one, and we will continue to work closely with Members of Congress from both parties, and especially the Florida Congressional delegation and those serving on the Appropriations Committees, to secure a level of federal funding that will address the long-standing and critical problems of Florida’s waterways.”
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About The Everglades Foundation
The Everglades Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to leading efforts to restore and protect the greater Everglades ecosystem. Since its founding in 1993 by a group of local outdoor enthusiasts, the Foundation has become a respected and important advocate for the sustainability of one of the world’s most unique ecosystems. For more information, please visit EvergladesFoundation.org.
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