Issue Position: Everglades

Issue Position

The Everglades play a crucial role in the everyday lives of all Floridians, not only by serving as Florida's main source for drinking and farming water, but also as a safeguard against flooding that threatens our state every hurricane season. The Everglades is also home to many threatened and endangered species. Protection of these animals will depend upon restoring the natural flow of water through the Everglades and cleaning up water pollution which threatens their natural habitat. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I am proud that in the 111th Congress alone we have already secured over $460 million for Everglades restoration.

Since its creation as a federal-state partnership in 2000, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, or "CERP" has been plagued by delays and lack of funding. But I have worked hard to kick start this process and according to a recent biennial review by the National Research Council, we have made significant progress in the last few years, from authorizing critical components of CERP, to funding these projects. And in the last year, the Corps of Engineers has begun construction on several critical component projects, including bridging of the Tamiami Trail to help increase water flows through the Everglades and into Everglades National Park. While we still have lots to do, I will work to keep the momentum of the last few years going.

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