Palmetto Bay, Fla. – The Everglades Foundation today released the following statement, attributed to its Chief Executive Officer Eric Eikenberg, regarding Governor Ron DeSantis signing the fiscal year 2026-27 budget with $665 million for restoring the Everglades, including the funding needed to complete the state’s portion of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir.
“Governor Ron DeSantis today signed a budget that continues to move Everglades restoration forward, advancing the world’s largest ecosystem restoration effort and one of the most important projects for the state’s environment and economy.
“This funding also includes what is needed to complete the state portion of the EAA Reservoir, the central and critical piece of the Everglades restoration puzzle that is set to be realized five years ahead of schedule.
“Beyond the funding impacts of this budget alone, this budget adds to the historic amount of funding that has been secured for restoration under the leadership of Governor DeSantis.
“He has not only fulfilled the promises he made in two separate executive orders at the beginning of each of his terms, but he has secured nearly $9.5 billion in funding for Everglades restoration and water quality projects since becoming Governor.
“On behalf of the Foundation, I thank the Governor for his personal commitment to ending harmful coastal discharges and expediting critical Everglades infrastructure projects, primarily the EAA Reservoir, that will restore America’s Everglades for generations to come.”
