Secretary Lambert: Governor DeSantis Puts Floridians First in Historic Budget Recommendations for Florida’s Everglades, Water Resources and Natural Landscapes

Since taking office, Governor DeSantis has championed efforts that continue to achieve more now for Florida’s environment, and the Floridians First Budget bolsters that commitment with a historic investment in the natural places that make Florida, Florida. That includes accelerating the completion of projects to restore the Everglades, improve water quality, strengthen our shorelines and protect the land around us. 

This budget reflects the Governor’s record of following through on environmental promises and investing in projects that matter to Floridians, all while responsibly managing taxpayer resources. I applaud these investments and look forward to working with the Legislature to deliver this budget and leave our state better than we found it for the next generation. 

As Florida continues to experience record growth, the Floridians First Budget makes critical investments to protect and restore the places we all love, including: 

Maintaining the Momentum of Everglades Restoration and Water Quality Projects
As proposed, the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget invests over $1.4 billion in Everglades restoration and water quality improvements that will bring the combined investment under the DeSantis Administration to nearly $9.5 billion. 

Accelerating the Completion of Everglades Restoration Projects
The budget includes $810 million to accelerate and deliver Everglades restoration projects to completion five years ahead of schedule, including $681 million in Completion of Everglades Restoration Projects, $586 million of which will fully fund the remaining state-funded portions of the Central Everglades Planning Project to clean, store and convey water through the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir and the Blue Shanty Flow-Way. 

The budget also provides $50 million for projects to support the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries and $79 million for the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program. 

Maintaining Everglades Investments
As a result of Florida’s debt reduction program, the budget repurposes $80 million in existing Land Acquisition Trust Fund allocations that are no longer needed for debt service and to-be-completed projects to support the long-term maintenance of capital projects within the South Florida Water Management District Basin. Additional investments in Florida's water resources include:

Protecting Florida’s Water Quality, Quantity and Supply 
The budget includes $408 million for targeted water quality improvements to achieve meaningful nutrient reductions in key waterbodies, including: 

• $250 million for the Water Quality Improvement Grant Program, including prioritization of the Indian River Lagoon and Biscayne Bay.
• $100 million for the Lower Kissimmee Basin Stormwater Treatment Area Project to reduce the levels of nutrients in water flowing from the Kissimmee River into Lake Okeechobee.
• $50 million to accelerate projects to meet scientific nutrient reduction goals.

Additional investments in Florida's water resources include: 

• $65 million to combat harmful algal blooms, including blue-green algae and red tide, strengthening Florida’s capacity to respond to blooms and advance long-term water quality improvements.
• $60 million to advance alternative water supply, ensuring Florida plans ahead to meet future water demands while protecting and restoring water resources.
• $50 million to restore and preserve Florida’s world-renowned springs, supporting both water quality improvements and spring flow restoration. 

Protecting Florida’s Conservation Lands and Waterways
The Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget includes $150 million to protect Florida’s conservation lands through one-time investments and by restoring $65 million in recurring funding to Florida Forever, thanks to the accelerated debt repayment effort, freeing up funding in the Land Acquisition Trust Fund. Additional investments include $70 million in state park maintenance and resource management. The Governor also included pay increases for Florida Park Service Rangers and Park Personnel. 

Strengthening Our Shorelines
Protecting Florida’s 1,300 miles of coastline is important for Florida’s economy and quality of life. The budget recommends an additional $75 million in beach nourishment funding to continue addressing Florida’s critically eroded shorelines. The budget invests an additional $208 million for resilience through the Resilient Florida Program, including $150 million for implementation of statewide projects that protect coastal and inland communities from flooding and hurricanes, and $52 million for design and planning projects, as well as coral reef protection.