DeSantis Awards $100 Million to Protect North America’s ‘Most Biologically Diverse’ Estuary

Florida's Indian River Lagoon accounts for 27 percent of the state's salt marshes, 685 species of fish, 370 species of birds, 2,200 animal species, and 2,100 plant species. Courtesy of Florida State Parks

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded $100 million for water quality projects to restore the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), a 156-mile-long region that comprises a third of the state’s Atlantic coastline and is considered North America’s most biologically diverse estuary.

This move comes on the heels of Executive Order 23-06, signed by Mr. DeSantis, a Republican, in January 2023.

That action allocated billions of dollars to rehabilitate the IRL, the Everglades, wildlife woodlands, and the state’s coastlines.

“Florida’s prized waterways draw visitors from across the world and are the foundation of our local economies,” Mr. DeSantis said in a news release. “We are advancing our efforts to protect the Indian River Lagoon through smart investments that will continue to preserve this waterway.”

Estuaries are transition zones where freshwater streams or rivers meet saltwater oceans. As the continent’s most biologically diverse, the IRL estuary is home to mangrove wetlands, 27 percent of the state’s salt marshes, 685 species of fish, 370 species of birds, 2,200 animal species, and 2,100 plant species.

This massive estuary has three bodies of water—the Indian River, the Banana River, and the Mosquito Lagoon—with an average depth of four feet and a width that varies from five miles to half a mile.

Also known as “the cradle of the ocean,” the IRL’s beaches see some of the highest numbers of nesting sea turtles in the Western Hemisphere, including loggerheads, leatherbacks, hawksbills, and green turtles.

Beyond its natural beauty, the IRL drives one-seventh of the entire region’s economy, valued at $7.6 billion in 2014, which equals roughly $10 billion adjusted for inflation.

Its fisheries are also responsible for $30 million in annual revenue, or $39.4 million adjusted to inflation, which amounts to 50 percent of Florida’s annual fish harvest on its Atlantic coast.

“The Indian River Lagoon is one of the state’s most iconic waterways, and we are committed to meeting the challenges it faces head-on,” Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Shawn Hamilton said in a news release.

“With the historic funding secured by Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature, we are able to implement important projects to improve water quality in the Indian River Lagoon.”

The money allocated for IRL restoration efforts will combat root causes of nutrient pollution through wastewater treatment upgrades, septic-to-sewer connections, stormwater treatment, and other projects to cut back total nitrogen levels by more than 375,000 pounds each year.

Manatee Starvation Deaths

Excessive levels of nitrogen and other nutrients feed algae blooms, which are catastrophic to the region’s seagrass populations. The IRL’s seagrass is a critical food source for some of the largest manatee populations in the state.

Between December 2020 and March 2022, the IRL saw a mass die-off of more than 1,000 manatees largely due to mass starvation from a drop in seagrass levels, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC).

The highest number of deaths come during the winter months when temperatures drop and pose a considerable threat to manatee survival.

On the coldest winter days, upwards of 700 manatees can be found basking in the warm waters of natural springs around Crystal River near Florida’s Gulf Coast. Carol Grant/Visit Florida/TNS

While reducing nitrogen levels in the IRL can bolster the seagrass populations that are so critical for manatee survival, the FWC has already observed a reduction in manatee mortality rates between March 2022 and March 2023.

During the summers of 2022 and 2023, the leading cause of death for manatees was boat strikes and injuries, according to FWC  data.

Legislation to Protect State Waterways

Mr. DeSantis also signed House Bill 1379 on May 31, 2023, which advances the scope of his earlier executive order by directing state funds toward the IRL restoration project.

It also expands eligibility requirements for the existing wastewater grant program to include stormwater and agriculture and to encompass all statewide bodies of water that do not meet water quality standards.

The bill strengthens basin management action plans (BMAPs), which are frameworks for water quality rehabilitation that involve local and state promises to cut back “pollutant loading” with current and future projects and strategies, according to the DEP.

HB 1379 also improves long-term comprehensive planning for local governments to address the feasibility of sewer solutions over septic in certain areas of the state, as well as upgrading water systems to advanced wastewater treatment to support environmental protection.

The law includes an annual allocation of $100 million for the Florida Forever Program—the state’s leading conservation and recreation lands acquisition effort.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded $3.5 million to the small city of Lake Butler to fix wastewater infrastructure, on Jan. 7, 2022. Nanette Holt/Epoch Times

“In Florida, our natural resources are the foundation of our way of life and a large driver of the economy,” Mr. DeSantis said in a news release after signing the legislation in May 2023.

“With this legislation, we are building on the progress we have made in water quality protection and land conservation, ensuring that we leave Florida better to God than we found it for future generations.”

According to Mr. Hamilton, “This legislation directs strategic action to address nutrient sources and expedite restoration.”

Discounts on Outdoor Passes, Licenses

Mr. DeSantis also signed Executive Order 23-209, known as the Great Outdoors Initiative, on Oct. 13, 2023, which provides economic incentives for Florida residents to participate in outdoor recreation.

Between Oct. 14, 2023, and Jan. 13, 2024, the state Department of Environmental Protection will offer 50 percent discounts on annual passes to Florida state parks for residents and their families while the Fish and Wildlife Commission will issue its annual resident Gold Sportsman’s license, a five-year Gold Sportsman’s license, and a Lifetime Gold Sportsman’s license at half-off as well.

Florida residents also will be exempt from fishing license requirements in state parks during this three-month window. Passes can be purchased online, and information on the state’s wildlife trails and preserves can be found at the Florida State Parks website.