Ron DeSantis' and the Army Corps of Engineers reached an agreement on Florida's beloved Everglades
It was announced a few hours ago that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Army Corps of Engineers have reached an agreement to help restore the Everglades, a beloved staple of the Florida landscape that's been embattled by environmental crises. The Everglades span over 1.5 million acres of South Florida and is home to countless wildlife species. Many of those species, like our beloved alligator, who might as well be the Florida state mascot, reside in the watery swamps that span the southern portion of the state. It's the only place on planet earth where two similar creatures, the American alligator and the crocodile, coexist, living amongst one another alongside the plethora of birds that decorate our beautiful landscapes.
Considering that there are nine different ecosystems in the Everglades, the area is essential to Florida plant and animal, both in terms of food chains and diversity.
But there's a problem. The Everglades suffer from a grave shortage of freshwater.
And now, the State and Federal governments are going to converge to build a reservoir near Lake Okeechobee that will clean the water from the lake so it can be distributed throughout the Everglades and keep the area flourishing.
As was noted by the Charlotte Observer:
The reservoir will have a water storage component and a wetland with vegetation that can cleanse water from Lake Okeechobee, according to the South Florida Water Management District. The plan is to sharply reduce the Lake Okeechobee discharges down the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers to estuaries where the water is blamed for blue-green algae blooms and other environmental problems.
Joe Negron, a former State Senator who's not only ranked number 17 of all Florida politicians in the last decade, but also called "The Champion of the Everglades," said the plans will reduce, if not completely eliminate the discharge coming from Lake Okeechobee.
The discharge of the lake has been problematic for decades, one that has contributed to red and blue tide algae blooms and threatened species, including endangered ones. It's another example of corporate consumption decimating our beautiful state while we spend billions per year to offset the costs.
Many of us moved here for the beautiful Florida plant and animal life, things that all remained threaten so long as serious action wasn't taken; and others of us were born and raised here and would love to keep Florida's vast array of ecosystems intact.
And now, that era seems to be coming to an end. This is a massive step in the right direction, toward a cleaner and more sustainable Florida. Hopefully it works and curbs the environmental problems we face.
Photo by David Cashbaugh on Unsplash