Florida’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026–2027 includes an allocation of $1.4 billion for Everglades restoration and water quality projects, continuing a multibillion-dollar investment in environmental efforts across the state.
According to the budget released by Governor Ron DeSantis, the funding recommendation brings the total investment during his second term to $6 billion and to nearly $9.5 billion over the course of his tenure.
The allocation is designed to support ongoing conservation and restoration efforts, including continued work on the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), a long-term federal-state initiative to restore the ecosystem. Of the funding dedicated to Everglades restoration, $681 million is earmarked for CERP, with $586 million of that amount designated to fully fund remaining state-funded components of the Central Everglades Planning Project and related South-Blue Shanty Flow-way work.
Additional allocations include $50 million for projects aimed at reducing harmful discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries, and $79 million for the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program.
The budget also proposes $408 million for targeted water quality improvements across key water bodies. This includes funds for expanded wastewater and stormwater management projects, septic-to-sewer conversions, nutrient reduction initiatives, and improvements in priority areas such as the Indian River Lagoon and Biscayne Bay. Specific line items include:
- $150 million for the Water Quality Improvement Grant Program, covering upgrades to wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.
- $100 million for the Lower Kissimmee Basin Stormwater Treatment Area project to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen levels flowing from the Kissimmee River.
- $50 million to accelerate projects aimed at meeting scientific nutrient reduction goals.
Other water-related funding includes $50 million to help restore Florida’s springs and protect springsheds, $65 million to combat harmful algal blooms like blue-green algae and red tide, and $60 million for the Alternative Water Supply Grant Program to support community water conservation and reuse initiatives.
State conservation efforts also benefit from the proposed budget, with $70 million for state parks infrastructure and resource management and $150 million to protect conservation lands.
The funding package reflects ongoing state priorities to address environmental and water-quality challenges while supporting ecosystem restoration efforts that have been years in the making.
