FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 17, 2015
CONTACT: Governor's Press Office, 850-717-9282 media@eog.myflorida.com
GOV. SCOTT: TAMIAMI TRAIL PROJECT WILL HELP MOVE WATER
SOUTH
~DEP Issues Permit for Construction
of Important Everglades Project~
TALLAHASSEE – Governor
Scott today announced that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection
recently issued a permit to the Department of Interior’s National Park Service,
Everglades National Park, for the construction of 2.6 miles of bridging and
road raising along the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) in Miami-Dade County. The
project will deconstruct a section of the Tamiami Trail and replace it with a
bridge so that water north of the road may flow into the Everglades, providing
needed water to the Everglades National Park. This project will result in
enhanced movement of water south from Lake Okeechobee.
Governor
Rick Scott said, “Restoring the Florida Everglades and protecting Florida’s
natural treasures is incredibly important to protect the natural beauty of our
state. The Tamiami Trail project will help move more water south from Lake
Okeechobee which directly benefits the Everglades, as well as the
Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Estuaries. On top of completing critical projects,
we have proposed a dedicated
source of revenue that will provide more than $5 billion for Everglades
restoration over the next 20 years. This funding will ensure that future
generations of Floridians can enjoy our state’s natural beauty.”
The
Tamiami Trail currently inhibits water flowing south into Everglades National
Park. By constructing bridges, water will be able to flow more naturally to the
Park.
DEP
Secretary Jon Steverson said, “This is a huge step forward in our efforts to
restore the Everglades. Moving water south through the Everglades is critical
for wildlife, and keeping it out of the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Estuaries
is vital to protecting these important waterbodies."
The
total cost of the 2.6 mile Bridge Phase of the project is estimated to be $144
million. Governor Scott has committed up to $30 million/year over three years
or $90 million total for this project.
In
addition to long term investments, the department is working with the
South Florida Water Management District and local partners to take aggressive
action on both coasts to improve the quantity, quality, timing and distribution
of water in Florida.
Governor
Rick Scott’s 2015-2016 “KEEP FLORIDA WORKING” budget provides a total of $150
million for Everglades restoration, including $20 million for Kissimmee River
restoration. The “KEEP FLORIDA WORKING” budget also creates a dedicated source
of revenue for Everglades restoration that provides more than $670 million for
ecosystem restoration over the next four years and more than $5 billion over
the next 20 years. This means that during the Governor’s second term
alone, South Florida’s families will know the state has the ability to fund its
share of the restoration of the Kissimmee River and the construction of the
C-43 and C-44 reservoirs – projects that will provide almost 100 billion
gallons of storage to protect Florida estuaries.
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