Official Statement on Florida's FY25-26 Budget for Everglades Restoration

June 17, 2025

Palmetto Bay, Fla. – The Everglades Foundation today released the following statement, attributed to its CEO Eric Eikenberg, on the fiscal year 2025-26 budget passed by the Florida Legislature.

“The Florida Legislature was able to craft and pass a budget that continues to fully fund Everglades restoration – a project that is not only important to Floridians and our state’s environment, but also to Florida’s billion-dollar tourism, fishing, and real estate industries.

In fact, a study recently conducted demonstrates that the Everglades is a $1 trillion asset, and we are grateful that the legislature, along with Governor Ron DeSantis, has recognized this and demonstrated through their action time and again that the Everglades is worth investing in and restoration is working.

Thank you to our state’s legislative leaders – Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez – and all lawmakers, for passing a budget that provides more than $800 million in funding to continue to recognize the critical nature of restoring the vital ecosystem and natural flow of America’s Everglades.”

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