Post by Logan on Jan 30, 2016 2:54:59 GMT -6
Lawmakers want up to $200 million annually for 20 years to clean Everglades
TALLAHASSEE -- After Florida lawmakers drew two lawsuits and bad publicity last year for diverting Amendment 1 money to salaries and expenses instead of devoting it exclusively to land and water conservation, a House committee approved a measure Thursday that not only attempts to repair their record but aims to repair decades of damage to the Everglades.
The Legacy Florida Act, proposed by incoming Senate President Joe Negron and Rep. Gayle Harrell requires the state to set aside 25 percent of Amendment 1 funds — up to $200 million a year — to fund Everglades restoration projects over the next 20 years.
The carve out, HB 989, was approved unanimously by the House Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, and is expected to win easy passage in the Senate and be included in the Legislature’s final budget.
It will supply a stable funding source to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program, a 30-year partnership with the federal government to spend $13.5 billion on restoration projects to clean up the ecosystem that is central to the state’s water supply.
Read more here: www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article57144443.html
TALLAHASSEE -- After Florida lawmakers drew two lawsuits and bad publicity last year for diverting Amendment 1 money to salaries and expenses instead of devoting it exclusively to land and water conservation, a House committee approved a measure Thursday that not only attempts to repair their record but aims to repair decades of damage to the Everglades.
The Legacy Florida Act, proposed by incoming Senate President Joe Negron and Rep. Gayle Harrell requires the state to set aside 25 percent of Amendment 1 funds — up to $200 million a year — to fund Everglades restoration projects over the next 20 years.
The carve out, HB 989, was approved unanimously by the House Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, and is expected to win easy passage in the Senate and be included in the Legislature’s final budget.
It will supply a stable funding source to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program, a 30-year partnership with the federal government to spend $13.5 billion on restoration projects to clean up the ecosystem that is central to the state’s water supply.
Read more here: www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article57144443.html