WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) today applauded Gov. Ron DeSantis' announcement that Phase II of the Tamiami Trail Project, critical to restoring America's Everglades, has been fully funded by the state of Florida and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
"Today's good news is a testament to the leadership of Gov. DeSantis and Florida's Congressional Delegation. The Governor continues to lead the charge with his commitment to expediting Everglades restoration, and completing the Tamiami Trail Project is an important step forward for America's Everglades," said SFWMD Executive Director Drew Bartlett. "The Tamiami Trail Project helps restore the natural flow of water to Shark River Slough. Thanks to Gov. DeSantis' wise investment and support from the U.S. Department of Transportation, we're providing the Everglades marshes a chance to recover after being cut off from water flow when the original Tamiami Trail was built nearly 100 years ago."
Expediting key Everglades projects, including the Tamiami Trail Project, is part of Gov. DeSantis'
Executive Order 19-12
. Gov. DeSantis proposed and the Florida Legislature approved $40 million in funding for the Florida Department of Transportation to elevate a 6.5-mile section of Tamiami Trail in Miami-Dade County, allowing more clean freshwater to flow south from Water Conservation Area 3A to Everglades National Park. The U.S. Department of Transportation matched the state's funding by allocating an additional $60 million to fully fund the second phase of the project.
Elevating that section of Tamiami Trail allows more clean water to reach Everglades National Park where it is needed. Additionally, it allows more water to be sent south from the water conservation areas where high water conditions can create risk of wildlife drownings as well as south from Lake Okeechobee where high water conditions can lead to environmentally damaging discharges to the coastal estuaries.
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