Everglades Restoration Could Be Pivotal to Fighting Rising Seas
November 7th, 2019 by Jake Stofan
The Senate Appropriations Committee got a briefing from the State Department of Environmental Protection Thursday morning.
The state allocated a record $413 million for Everglades restoration projects in 2019.
One Senator asked whether DEP was considering the potential impacts of sea level rise in their restoration projects, and how rising seas could negatively impact the wetlands.
DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein said in short, Everglades restoration is one of the state’s best ways of combating sea level rise.
“Getting water through the system, hydrating, restoring aquifers in South Florida, restoring flow into Florida Bay, creating that hydraulic pressure and head to prevent the speed of saltwater intrusion is one of the most important things we can do as the State of Florida for long term resilience,” said Valenstein.
DEP reports all $413 million has been designated to projects, some of which they expect could be complete by 2023.
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